Blades of Fire
by WritingOpensSouls
Summary: Sandy Hayes is a new blader in the biggest tournament of her life. But, when catastrophe strikes and she is left without a team, she is forced to turn to the world famous Bladebreakers.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! This is actually my sister's story. I think she's a great writer, but she refuses to believe me. She's really nervous about posting this, so please be nice! Enjoy! I know I did!**

I walked up the gray stone walkway. Green bushes and trimmed short trees filled the small courtyard; potted plants of many colors and sizes reigned free. I stared gloomily at Mr. D as we crossed into the yard. Buzzing, whooshing noises filled the air, occasionally stopped by sharp clanks of metal. I listened for a moment and a small smile almost reached my lips. The effort became too much, however, and I settled back into my frown. Beyblades whizzed around the small plastic arena, the miniature tops spinning so quickly that they became flashes of light. The Bladebreakers – who had formerly been practicing – looked up in surprise and curiosity.

"Oh hi, Mr. Dickenson. What's up?" Tyson asked, recalling his Dragoon beyblade back to his hand. Hiro, Tyson's older brother and coach, walked toward us inquiringly.

"Is there a problem?" Hiro asked. "We're in the middle of training for the finals."

"About that…We have a favor to ask of you and your team. May we speak to them for a moment?" Mr. Dickenson said.

There wasn't much of a need for the question, because all seven of the Bladebreakers team had gathered in a line and were listening intently. After initial interest, Kai merely brushed a strand of spikey gray hair out of his eyes, crossed his arms, and looked bored.

Their eyes drifted to me and my stomach twisted as it usually did in front of people. My shoulders rounded and my arms pressed into my sides, an attempt to make myself smaller. In the back of my mind, though, I knew it wouldn't work. As an unfamiliar face, I wouldn't be able to avoid attention. I crossed my arms defensively and waited for Mr. D to start the all too familiar introduction.

"We would – " Mr. D began.

"We would like to ask you to take another 'blader on your team," I interrupted, on an impulse. Mr. D glanced at me in surprise, but I ignored him and continued.

"As you may have heard, there was a large fire that burned down one of the hotels in the area this week. The Daredevils, one of the teams participating in the tournament finals, were caught inside. Only two survived." At this information, Hilary gasped and the rest of the team looked stunned. Even Kai, who was normally straight-faced, looked away from me with what might have been a hint of remorse. I tried to keep my voice steady and emotionless, but my hands clenched.

"One of the surviving 'bladers is in a coma, but the other survived with minor injuries. Because the team would have participated in the finals if the fire hadn't happened, the BBA saw fit to find a temporary team for the 'blader. However, because the beyblader is a short, American, teenage girl with little experience and a burned arm, the seven other teams we've talked to so far have said no.

"We know it's late in the season and a lot to ask of an experienced, fully-formed team, but…would you be willing to take her?" I finished. I watched carefully for their reactions and my heart began to pound as the silence stretched on.

"We're being asked to take a 'blader we don't even know?" Daichi asked, dumbfounded. Mr. D, who had been listening quietly up until this point, spoke up.

"Actually, that's why we're here. I'd like you to meet Sandy Hayes, one of the remaining team members of the Daredevil team."

Rei and Kai didn't act like this was news to them, but Daichi and Tyson's mouths dropped open. Hilary gave a soft 'oh' and gave me a sympathetic look.

"You mean _you're_ one of the Daredevils?" Tyson asked.

"You were in a fire? What was it like?" Daichi blurted out. My eyes shot up to meet his in surprise. I flinched at his question and the memories that flashed through my mind.

"Daichi! Don't ask questions like that!" Hilary snapped, giving me an anxious glance. Before she could launch into a rant, I quietly answered.

"Hot and surprisingly dark." A part of me cringed at reliving the scene, but I knew that it was a question I would have wanted to ask too, if I was bold enough. The rest of me wanted to prove that I could face what had happened. "The flames flickered on the walls and air was sucked into the fire, making it sound like the hotel was breathing. And, of course, there was lots of – "

Screams pierced my thoughts, almost causing my knees to buckle. The sounds replayed in my head, loud and tormenting. I gasped softly and my hands jerked toward my ears in an attempt to block the noise, but I quickly stopped myself. The sounds were only in my mind. Only in my imagination.

"L-lots of smoke," I ended lamely. I came back into focus with the Bladebreakers staring at me. My breath was a little quicker than normal and I glared at my shoes to steady myself. My face hardened to mask my fear.

"What's so scary about smoke?" I heard Daichi mutter. Tyson shrugged while Hilary and Kenny looked exasperated. I noticed Hiro watching me as if debating something in his head.

"Do you like beyblading?" He asked. I blinked at his question and stammered in surprise.

"O-of course. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

"Are you a good 'blader?"

"I…" I whispered, thinking frantically. Applying for a team was a lot like applying for a job; there was no room for humility. I shrugged noncommittally and said, "I…think I'm pretty good."

" _Are_ you a good 'blader?" Hiro asked again, eyes narrowing.

"Yes," I said instinctively, but frowned at my lie. I really wasn't that good as a new 'blader and probably shouldn't be claiming anything. "Well..." Before I could take back my answer, Mr. D quickly stepped in.

"She's good, I've seen her work. You can hardly see her beyblade when she gets up to speed. Sandy has a very unique style as well." I blushed under Hiro's searching gaze, suddenly feeling like I was on trial.

"Hmm," Hiro said, folding his arms. "Why do you want to participate in the tournament, Sandy? There's always next year."

"Because…my team wouldn't have wanted me to quit – "

"You're doing this for your team." It wasn't a question. Hiro watched my reaction. A sinking sensation grew in my chest. I tried to push it away, but it returned persistently. Hiro sighed softly and began.

"Sandy, I wish I could – "

"You're turning me down." My voice came out cold and there was a small catch in the back of my throat. I felt numb. Tears built up in my eyes, but I forced them back, determined not to show weakness.

Without another word – not that I could have spoken one at that point – I marched toward the doorway.

"Sandy, where are you going?" I was a bit surprised to hear Mr. D's voice.

"Falcon's Peak. Four hours," I said, falling back into the Daredevils' habit of stating their destination and when they would be back. I didn't turn around. I didn't think I could look the Bladebreakers' in the eyes.

"Umm…" Mr. D said.

"Where's that?" Tyson asked in confusion. I froze, realizing I'd used my team's name for the mountain.

"I…don't know what it's actually called. It's the tallest peak just north of here. The Daredevils used it for training whe –" I cut my sentence off abruptly, refusing to add 'when they were still here.'

"Training?" Hiro asked. I could almost see his arms folding in question. My jaw clenched and I whipped around, a fierce, proud smile on my face.

"I'm not a quitter, Hiro," I said. The statement rang through the clearing, powerful with a deadly edge to it. "I'm not in the finals and I'm not naïve enough to think I'm guaranteed to make it back next year. But I love 'blading and my pride won't let me walk away. I 'blade for my family, for my team, and for _me_." I let the words sink in, before turning and leaving the courtyard.


	2. Chapter 2

I leaped towards the gray boulder in front of me. Wind brushing my hair into golden strands, glinting in the sunlight. My beyblade skidded across a nearby rock, sending white sparks off to the side. Mid-leap I gave a quick spin, increasing the speed and power of my bey. I felt the rocky surface under my shoe, but received a surge of panic as it seemed to vanish from under me.

I gasped as I smacked into the rock, the air punched from my lungs, and a stab of pain went through my cheek as my face connected with stone.

Falcon's Peak was my team's best angle prediction training. It consisted of a high cliff with boulders shattered around the edges, most likely from past rock falls. It was hard to judge the angles and textures because of how many rocks there were. Even harder when people combined it with top-speed jumping and running maneuvers. It was also the most dangerous of our training locations.

I hit the ground at the bottom of the boulder and sat stunned for a few moments. Then a thought caused me to immediately regain my footing.

"Nyclix!" I exclaimed. I staggered to the top of the rock and glanced anxiously for my bey. A flash of metal gleamed for a brief second under my gaze and I rushed towards it. Carefully picking it up, I brushed the dirt off the green and gold colored beyblade. A small circle with a mountain lion marked my bit beast and a soft roar emanated from the 'blade.

"Sorry, 'Clix, I misjudged the angle on that last one. Let's try it again," I whispered. I checked my watch briefly and sighed, "Actually we might have to start heading back. It's getting a bit late." I started walking toward the trail leading down the mountain, but quickly stopped and groaned.

In my anger I hadn't told Mr. D that I would meet him back at his office, where I had been staying while the BBA tried to find me a team, so he would probably be waiting for me to return to the last place we'd spoken. Not that I would I be likely to get into his office without him being there anyway. This all meant…I had to face the Bladebreakers team again.

I knelt down and loaded Nyclix into my launcher with my left hand. Standing up, I slid the ripcord – which I had fastened to my hip – into my launcher and shot out my arm. Nyclix wavered at my unsteady launch, but slowly regained speed and became a streak of light at my feet. I unhappily marched down the mountain, guiding my bey in figure eights around my legs.

Walking became harder with every step I took towards the Bladebreakers', more accurately Tyson's grandfather's, house. As I grew close enough to see the entrance to the courtyard, it felt like I had weights anchoring my feet to the ground. I sighed as I saw Mr. D's car and confirmed that he had indeed waited for me.

I held out a hand and a few seconds later, Nyclix hit the soft leather of the glove with a quiet _thunk_. I faltered and almost dropped the bey, unused to catching with my left hand. As I drew nearer, I began to hear voices and instantly silenced my footsteps. I slunk quietly to the archway marking the courtyard entrance and waited.

Rei and Tyson were still practicing with Hilary and Kenny watching the match closely. Kai, Max, and Daichi had probably gone back inside. I suppressed a groan as I failed to catch sight of Mr. D. The sooner we left the better.

I surveyed their match part in resignation and part in interest. Rei's beyblade moved like the claws of a tiger, striking in and out of Tyson's defenses. Tyson's bey retaliated with powerful rushes of energy and determination. Both were equally matched, but were slowly losing their spin. Attacks and counterattacks flashed across the beyblade arena and I held my breath as Dragoon and Drigger flared into play. One last strike and both beyblades were knocked back to their owners.

Tyson wiped beads of sweat off his forehead, then paused and smiled.

"Hey, Sandy," he called. I jolted with the realization that he was talking to me. I shrunk back a few steps, but the other three Bladebreakers noticed me as well. The small group walked over to me, spoiling my plans to escape. Hilary's brown eyes widened as she studied my face.

"What did you do to your cheek?" She asked in concern. I touched my cheek quizzically, but quickly remembered my fall when I received pain. The wound throbbed dully and I shrugged.

"Tripped." Rei's eyes narrowed in disbelief.

"You caused that by falling?" He asked doubtfully. His expression forced me to smile, but I immediately regretted it and winced.

"It helps if you're going really fast into a rock and slide down on your face," I said. Rei smiled and the rest of the Bladebreakers laughed. Kenny pushed his glasses farther up on his head.

"I guess you want to know where Mr. Dickenson is," he said. I nodded and looked in vain for Mr. D's distinctive white mustache and well-dressed appearance. Kenny gestured toward the door. "He's in the house talking with Coach Hiro. Come on."

The Bladebreakers walked into the house, me following carefully behind, trying to blend in with shadows.

A hardwood floor covered the first main room of the house – an empty space for sparring, hosting guests, and various meetings. A kitchen and dining area were off to the right and a staircase led to an upper floor. I stared at everything, slightly overwhelmed by trying to take it all in. A shock of blond hair and bright blue eyes brought me back to the present.

"Hey, Sandy. When did you get here?" Max asked cheerfully. I stepped back in surprise and he continued without waiting for a response. "We've been watching your tape. You're not bad for a new 'blader."

"Yeah, you're pretty good. But you'll never be as good as me," Daichi said, puffing out his chest and running a finger under his nose.

"You say that like it's a hard thing to do," Hilary said, looking smug. The two glared at each other.

"What?" I asked, frowning at Max's comment. My eyes found Mr. D and Hiro looking intently at a TV in the kitchen. I cocked my head curiously and slunk closer to them.

"This is the only video we have of her abilities," Mr. D said. "Sandy's team had some kind of agreement that they would only put their best beybladers forward in matches. Said it was dishonorable to do otherwise. As the newest addition to the group, Sandy was never given the opportunity to compete in anything but her qualifying matches. The ones she competed in before joining the Daredevils."

I watched the tape over their shoulders, though I had seen it many times before. I cringed as I recognized all the mistakes and flaws in my performance. The film was of my first qualifying rounds. I had just started beyblading a few months before and had decided to try my first tournament. I studied the film carefully, trying to see my performance from someone else's point of view. I eventually sighed and gave up.

"My captain, Lee, and Coach Beck said that my performance in the qualifiers was what prompted them to invite me on the team," I said solemnly. "I've watched this film more times than I can count and I still don't know what they saw in me."

Mr. D and Hiro jumped a little in surprise. Then Mr. D studied the film carefully as if searching for something. He nodded and smiled softly.

"They saw a young, enthusiastic 'blader who loved what she was doing. Someone with a few kinks to work out, but with the potential to do well," he said. I gave him a doubtful look, but didn't press the matter.

"Should we be going?" I asked. "There's nothing left to do here." I did my best to avoid looking at Hiro. I knew, in the back of my mind, that there was nothing to blame him for. The BBA was asking him to take a new 'blader unreasonably close to the finals. However, a part of me wished he had at least given me a chance.

"Just a moment, Sandy. Have you made a decision, Hiro?" Mr. D said. Hiro nodded seriously. "Good, then it's final." I narrowed my eyes, but before I could ask questions or ponder the exchange, Mr. D began walking to the door. I quickly forgot about it as I stepped out into the warm summer air, which had started to take on the chill of fall. The door slid shut behind us and we walked into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Yay! Another chapter! I think it's a good one, like always. Enjoy!**

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I sat staring at the ceiling for several hours. The sun was just starting to rise and peek through the windows. The clock in Mr. D's office read 6:30 in the morning. The restless feeling that I should be doing something grew stronger until I flung my feet out of bed. I hadn't been able to sleep anyway.

I yanked on a fresh pair of clothes, scribbled a note to Mr. D, and strode out the door, grabbing my backpack before I left.

The streets were busy with people heading to work and I made my way through the crowds. I inserted Nyclix into my launcher and fired. My beyblade flew out, spun a few times, and dropped to the ground. I sighed and tried several more times before Nyclix kept up a steady rotation. I still hadn't gotten used to my one-handed blading style.

"Where should we go today, 'Clix?" I muttered. I studied the clear blue sky, watching for the tell-tale signs of a storm. There were barely a few wispy, white clouds floating around. "Let's take Sunside."

Breaking into a steady jog, I made my way to the beach training location. I occasionally stopped and pivoted, swinging my feet in small semi-circles. My beyblade flashed in similar patterns, striking at a place on the sidewalk. There was no point in waiting until I got all the way to Sunside to start practicing.

Hours later, I collapsed onto the sand-covered beach. My hair hung in matted strings around my face and sweat dripped from my chin. I breathed heavily and stuck out a hand, which was shaking slightly, to reclaim my beyblade.

I walked quietly away from the beach, but stopped when I noticed a few white flowers growing on the grassy hill lining the area. I leaned down and softly picked one of them. Mr. D had told me the night before that he had something planned later today that he wanted me to go to. Before I returned to the office, however, there were a few things I needed to do.

After several minutes of quick-paced travel, I arrived at a metal fence marking the town's cemetery. Tall, upright stones formed the silent city of graves. Japanese symbols were engraved into the rocks.

The symbols were a lot different from the English alphabet, so I struggled to read a few of them. However, I already knew which grave I was looking for. I had visited it several times since the funeral.

I approached a sleek black stone with white symbols carved into it. There were several family names carved, but out of all, only one name stood out to me: Liam Mori, otherwise known as Lee. I smiled slightly at the memory, but my smile faltered when the pain of loss hit me.

" _We're glad to have you on the team. It's time to introduce you to the rest of the Daredevils. This is Tus, Chan, and Jos. Boys, this is our newest addition, Alexandra Hayes," Lee said cheerfully._

" _Tus?" I asked questioningly. I grimaced as I realized too late that my tone could be considered rude._

" _It's a nickname. His real name is Brutus," a blond-haired boy with spectacles said kindly. Was his name Chan? The tall, dark-haired boy next to him glared._

" _Don't say my name," he growled grumpily._

" _Nicknames build comradery. Besides it means any shady people we deal with won't know our real names and when we get into trouble, everyone's names will be a short, one-syllable word," Lee said. I stared at him. 'Shady people' and '_ when _we get into trouble'? What kind of team was this?_

" _Tus is the one who started it. He hated his name so much, he insisted we call him something else," the shortest and youngest boy – I thought his name was Jos – said._

" _Speaking of which, we need to give you a nickname, Alexandra," Lee said._

" _Alex?" I said, raising an eyebrow._

" _Too easy to guess. There aren't that many girl names that could shorten to 'Alex.' How about using the last part of your name? We'll call you Sandra and shorten it to 'Sand' when necessary," he said._

" _Sorry, but Sandra doesn't fit me very well," I said quietly, a bit shy when the rest of my new team turned to listen to me. "What about Sandy?"_

I gently reached out a hand to place the little white flower in the vase by the grave. I clenched my jaw as I stared at the name engraved on stone.  
"I won't let you down, Lee," I whispered. A small voice echoed in the back of my mind. _You already have let him down._ My heart twisted painfully as I remembered that all of the teams had refused to take me. I wasn't continuing in the tournament anymore. I had already failed my team.

I turned and walked away. I had intended to visit the hospital to see Jos, but I didn't know if I could handle it anymore. It would be better just to return to Mr. D's office and see what he'd wanted me for.


	4. Chapter 4

**I think my sister is really starting to enjoy writing this, and I'm enjoying reading it. Enjoy!**

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"Mr. D," I said in greeting. I shut the door to his office behind me and sat down on one of the couches in the room. My thoughts wandered as I stared around the cream-colored room, returning to my practice session on the beach. There were still several flaws in my technique I would need to work out. The elderly man looked up from his paperwork as I walked in.

"I'm glad you're back, but…you've returned earlier than normal. Is everything all right?" Mr. D asked.

"Yeah," I said automatically. There was never a point in answering no. It just made people worry about things they couldn't do anything about. Mr. D waited for me to explain further, but eventually gave up when I was silent.

"Well, perhaps this will cheer you up. The BBA is hosting an event today to officially announce when the finals will be held. All beybladers are invited to use the BBA's arenas and some of our big beyblading teams will be interviewed. I'd like you to come with me."

"What? Why?" I asked, jerking around to face him. My attention was now fully locked on Mr. D. "I'm not even in the finals anymore."

"I think it would be good for you to do something fun. You've been sulking around my office for days," Mr. D said. "Besides, I have to supervise the event. I can't just leave you here by yourself."

"But I like being by myself," I argued feebly.

"You said you would go yesterday."

"I guess I did…fine. When are we going?" I said, giving in. Mr. D smiled and grabbed his suit jacket from the coat hanger.

"Now," Mr. D said.

I stared at the town's beyblade stadium. The building almost seemed to be bigger than I remembered. No, buildings didn't grow. I glanced up at the towering pillars and the double doors. Did they?

"Come on, Sandy," Mr. D called, strolling through one of the doorways. I quickly jumped up the stairs to follow him.

People swarmed the building and filed across the marble floor, all talking excitedly. I reverted to using my crowd weaving skills to avoid losing sight of Mr. D. If I did, I probably wouldn't find my way out of here. I suddenly slammed to a halt, nearly causing several accidents behind me when I saw what was ahead. Little more than a few feet from us were the Bladebreakers.

I groaned inwardly. Of course they would be here; the Bladebreakers were the lead beyblading team. Why did I have to come? I should have pushed Mr. D harder to let me stay at the office. A jolt of panic struck me as Mr. D headed toward them. I felt heat rise to my face as I slunk next to his side like a shadow, feeling self-conscious.

"It's nice to see you could make it, Bladebreakers," Mr. D said smiling.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Tyson said, grinning. "There's so many 'bladers here. I'm going to beat them all!"

"Not if I get there first," Daichi said, butting in. Both of their eyes shone excitedly, only emphasizing the glint of competition.

"We aren't here to 'blade, Tyson," Hilary said, giving him an irritated look.

"Of course we are. Or I am," Tyson exclaimed. "The BBA said _all_ 'bladers could join, right?" Before the argument could continue, a group of reporters pushed their way to the team.

"Tyson!"

"Tyson Granger! Can I ask you a few questions?"  
"How does it feel to be the two-time World Champ?"

"Max, tell us what advice you'd give to all the beybladers out there." I ducked away in alarm at the sudden crowd of people. I tapped Mr. D's arm and murmured that I would see him later. He nodded and gave me directions to our seats in the stadium.

I walked into the stadium and a smile twitched the corners of my mouth. There were beybladers everywhere, ranging from beginners to the more experienced 'bladers. Out of curiosity, I walked up to one of the arenas with two young boys 'blading in it. Their blades clacked together with low power and slightly clumsy moves. I smiled remembering my first few times wielding a Beyblade.

"Try to move with your bey," I called. The boys jumped in surprise and looked at me uncertainly. I added, "Trust me, it will put more power behind your attacks and build a stronger bond between you and your beyblade." I moved away to avoid worrying parents about strange teenagers talking to their kids, but not before I glimpsed the boys attempting to follow my advice. If they kept practicing, they would become good 'bladers someday.

I made my way to our appointed seats and waited for Mr. D. Folding my arms in resignation, I watched people move about on the stadium floor. I thought back to the reporters and exhaled softly.

I didn't know why, but for as long as I could remember, I never really liked talking to people. Especially when it came to large groups. I was torn between thinking it was some kind of weird fear and just a serious aversion to being the center of attention. I didn't even think I was that shy, I was just…antisocial?

"So there you are." I was jerked out of my thoughts at the sound of Rei's voice. My eyes widened as the Bladebreakers filed in next to me. "You vanished for a while there."

"Oh," I said, still staring at them in confusion. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Mr. Dickenson invited us to sit with him," Max said. I nodded slowly. Of course he did.

"Do you really hate talking to people that much?" Daichi asked. "You are kind of quiet."

"W-what?" I stammered, the question catching me a bit off guard.

"Mr. Dickenson said that's why you left earlier," Daichi said. I felt my face turn bright red and willed it to return to normal. I was wishing more and more that I hadn't come. I apologized almost inaudibly, but Hilary stepped up to my defense.

"Don't be so tactless, Daichi," she retorted. "Lots of people don't like talking to others." Daichi shrugged, though he didn't look convinced. He placed his hands behind his head and leaned back in the seat, looking bored.

"Even Kai stayed when the reporters came and–" Tyson started, but then he paused. "Wait, where is Kai?" The Bladebreakers glanced around, but the spikey-haired lone wolf had disappeared. Mr. D and Coach Granger walked towards the group.

"Sandy, I've held off telling you the second reason I brought you here. I was waiting to see if the board would approve and it seems they have," Mr. D said. My eyebrows knit together uncertainly and I waited for him to continue. "Would you like to start off the event and participate in the opening match?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Yay another chapter from my sis! I apologize profusely that I didn't update this before. My sister actually finished this chapter and sent it to me a while ago but I failed to post it... Sorry!**

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"Wait, really?" I exclaimed, leaping out of my seat. An unreasonable amount of excitement tinged my voice. I blushed as the Bladebreakers and several people sitting nearby glanced up in alarm. I forced myself to sit down and tried not to let my disappointment show as I added, "You were just joking, weren't you?" Mr. D smiled, his eyes twinkling in amusement.

"I'm completely serious. By your enthusiasm, I guess you're willing to 'blade in the match?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. I nodded, a competitive smile sliding across my face.

"Who am I facing?" I asked, jumping to my feet.

"I thought it would be fitting to start the finals with our own world champion," said Mr. D. "Tyson, are you up for the challenge?" Tyson's eyes went wide and he shot out of his chair with a huge grin on his face.

"I'm always up for a challenge," he exclaimed loudly. "When is it? I'm ready!"

"We'll be starting in a few minutes," Mr. D said. "You two had better get down there." Both of us scrambled across the bleachers and down the stairs, trying not to knock too many people over. I pulled Nyclix out of the small compartment attached to my belt and smiled. It had been a while since I was looking forward to something. It wasn't until I got to the stadium floor that I started to get nervous.

My stomach clenched as I realized there were far too many people in the audience. Sweat began to bead on my brow and I tried to take deep breaths. I watched enviously as Tyson seemed completely unaffected by the large crowd. The dark-haired boy strutted across the floor, seemingly oblivious to the loud talking and cheering around him.

"Are you nervous, Tyson?" I asked finally. Tyson turned from tucking a stray strand of hair into his ponytail and shifting his backwards baseball cap to look at me in surprise.

"Not really," he said. "Why?"

"No reason. Just a lot of people are here," I murmured, cringing. Tyson watched me for a moment and seemed to connect something in his mind.

"So?" He said, shrugging. "It doesn't matter about them. This is just a match for fun." Tyson grinned playfully, but a fervent intensity gleamed in his eyes. "Not that I'm planning on taking it easy on you, Sandy."

"I hope not," I shot back, my nervousness staring to fade. We hopped up the stairs to the arena and got in position. I knelt down and did my best to insert Nyclix into my launcher.

"Is something wrong with your arm?" Tyson asked, sounding a bit concerned. He watched as I tried, with varying degrees of success, to complete the task only using my left hand. I refused to meet his eyes.

"Remember when I said I burned my arm in the fire?" I replied, ruefully. "The doctor told me not to use it until it completely healed. I wished it had been my other arm, though. Or that I was left-handed."

"Are you going to be able to 'blade like that?" Tyson asked. I nodded and gave him a quick smile.

"I've been practicing." The DJ moved so he was standing equal distance between Tyson and me. He raised an arm above his head to get everyone's attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the opening match to the finals. On my left, we have Sandy Hayes, former member of the recently deceased Daredevil team. We offer our condolences to her and all those grieving this loss." I lowered my gaze and focused instead on the plastic, blue arena. DJ continued, "On a brighter note, we have Tyson Granger, fighting to hold onto his title as the two-time World Champion!" There was a surge of cheering and Tyson held his fist high in the air.

"This will be a classic two-out-of-three match. If the 'bladers are ready, three, two, one…!" DJ called.

"Let it rip!" Tyson and I yelled simultaneously. I threw my arm out in a launch, mentally crossing my fingers that I wouldn't fail it. A small hint of relief filled me as Nyclix wobbled, but stabilized shortly afterwards. A fierce smile slid across my face as I became completely focused on the match.

Tyson's Dragoon sped out like a white bullet and I curved my 'blade to avoid it. I knew well that Tyson's bey would have infinitely more attack power, so a direct collision would be the end of me. There were, however, a few things I could do.

As Tyson's beyblade whooshed past, I swung my foot like a scythe imitating the pattern I needed Nyclix to make. CHINK! Dragoon faltered slightly as Nyclix sliced in a half-moon design for an unexpected strike from behind. Tyson seemed stunned, but recovered quickly.

"Come on, Dragoon!" He shouted. "You can do it!" His beyblade seemed invigorated by Tyson's words and picked up even greater speed. I jumped back to avoid his attacks which were becoming fiercer by the second.

Overwhelmed, I stole a glance up at Tyson and was hit with shock as I saw his face. I had known he was the World Champion, but now I knew why. The boy's face was a mask of concentration and there was no hint of the light-hearted person I had talked to earlier. Tyson had completely transformed. I was jerked back to the match by a loud SMACK.

Dragoon had caught up to my beyblade and was pressing in with brutal strikes. Nyclix started to waver. I panicked and tried in vain to pull my bey out of range, but one last hit sent Nyclix hurdling past my shoulder.

"And the first round goes to Tyson!" DJ exclaimed. Tyson grinned happily and rubbed a finger under his nose looking pleased with himself. Both of us reclaimed our beyblades and prepared for the second round. I hardened my face in determination. When we were both in starting positions, DJ called, "Three, two, one…!"

"Let it rip!" I shot out my arm, but quickly froze in alarm as the bey spun once and flopped over. Tyson's beyblade flashed around the arena in aimless circles. DJ scratched his head and glanced at me.

"Does that mean Tyson wins the second round?" He asked. Tyson wiped away his shocked expression and shook his head firmly.

"No way!" Tyson said. "That was just a practice launch. Come on, Sandy!" He gave me a smile and stuck out his hand in a thumb's up. My face was already bright red and I fumbled a bit trying to put Nyclix back into the launcher. The DJ did another count down.

"LET IT RIP!" We shouted. I did my best to focus and relax. I swung out my arm from my hip again and exhaled softly as my beyblade stayed steady this time. I waited in anticipation as Tyson once again charged forward with an attack.


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay, another chapter up! By the way, for those of you who are wondering, this is set at the end of season two and the very beginning of season three. Also, this story is not following the plot.**

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The last round had taught me I couldn't win by avoiding him. I urged Nyclix forward to meet Dragoon, but at the last second I swung in a tight arc to land a blow on the side. Before he could regain complete balance, I launched another attack. And another. My bey began moving in strokes of light, striking unpredictably, never standing still. CLASH! CLICK! CLANG! Nyclix's speed continued to increase. Now or never.

"ECLIPSE ATTACK!" I shouted. I cast my hand out, palm facing down, fingers extended and splayed. My beyblade sprung to life and began striking Tyson's bey in ferocious circle of attacks. Dragoon's rotation started to slow to halt. The white-and-blue beyblade swayed precariously, overcome from blows.

"Dragoon!" Tyson shouted. "GALAXY STORM!" My heart stopped briefly as I heard Tyson announce his most powerful attack. Wisps of wind spiraled around Dragoon. An image of a ferocious, blue dragon appeared in the center, glowing brightly. Scenarios flickered through my mind and dread sunk in as almost all seemed to end in my failure. There were two options: spin right, against the storm, and watch as Dragoon's tornado slowed Nyclix to a halt; or spin left, with the storm, and increase in speed until I could no longer control my bey.

The storm was rising, close to reaching its peak. It was time to make a decision. I spun left.

My beyblade spun faster and faster and for a brief second, I thought I could make out the golden tail and pelt of a mountain lion. I strained to keep my beyblade from rocketing out of the arena. I could hear wind roaring through the beystadium and my hair lashed my face. Tyson and Blader DJ clung to their hats, but neither turned away from the miniature hurricane. Sweat shone on my forehead as I leaned toward the center of the arena. I needed to hold on. Just a little bit longer…

"It looks like our 'bladers are locked in a stand still! Who will come out on top?" Blader DJ shouted over the wind. Black spots started to cloud my vision, but suddenly the wind died away. My feet almost gave out from under me. Tyson panted across from me, not unlike my own heavy breathing.

"Good job, but this fight isn't over yet!" Tyson shouted. I nodded; my face hardening. Now to use the momentum I'd gathered. Nyclix whirred as a dart of gold light and sliced toward Tyson's bey. A hard crack split the air and both beys rebounded from the hit. I followed up in a series of attacks, Tyson retaliating with ones of his own.

A sharp snap tore me out of the battle. There was an unfamiliar clicking sound among the _clanks_ and _clashes_ Nyclix usually made. I started another attack, but Nyclix spat in my direction. A long hiss turned into a ferocious growl. I froze, my blood chilling as the noise was followed by complete silence.

"Nyclix?" I whispered in shock. My attack landed hard and Tyson's beyblade was thrown from the arena, but I didn't have long to contemplate the victory. Metal shattered and my attack ring turned into glinting, iron missiles.

I dropped to my knees, shielding my face as the shards rained down. My hands and arms stung as metal pierced skin. As soon as the explosion stopped, however, I ripped my arms away from my face and anxiously scanned for my blade.

Nyclix lay still on the stadium floor with plastic and metal scattered around. I silently reclaimed my blade, feeling slightly numb. Murmuring congratulations to Tyson - there was no way to continue with this attack ring - I turned and walked away.

The Bladebreakers fell quiet when I returned, but quickly began asking questions. I deflected all of them and focused on the broken remains in my hand. Memory of Nyclix's angry hiss entered my brain and I exhaled softly. I had ignored her warning. I brushed my thumb over the bit beast emblem and a purr rumbled softly. After a few minutes, I heard a timid voice.

"Let me see, Sandy," Kenny asked.

"What?" I asked, whipping around and staring at him. He reached out a hand.

"Your beyblade," Kenny responded. "Can I see it?"

"Oh." Kenny took Nyclix carefully and turned it in his fingers. He shifted his glasses on his head and returned it to me.

"How old was that attack ring? Unless it was made of weak material, it shouldn't have broken apart like that," he said.

"Only a couple of months," I replied in confusion. "But I guess I've been training with it a lot."

"You can't just stop in the middle of the match. You still have one more round against Tyson."

"My attack ring's history and I don't have any replacement parts."

"We have attack rings you could borrow – " Kenny started, but I cut him off.

"No," I said. My voice came out more forcefully than I intended and I cringed. "Sorry...it's just I've always 'bladed with this bey. I don't really want to change it. It's the only thing I have left from the fire." A loud voice sounded out to my left.

"So you'd rather give up than replace an old, broken attack ring?" Tyson called out, causing my eyes to go wide. "I thought you were a better 'blader than that." He folded his arms and gave me an irritated look.

"Tyson…" I started, but he simply narrowed his eyes.

"If I remember correctly, we still have another round left," he said. "So what's it going to be, Sandy? Just give up…or get up and keep fighting?" I sighed and glanced at the pieces sitting on my palm, but then I closed my fingers over them.

"What kind of attack rings do you have, Kenny?" I asked. Kenny's expression broke into a smile and the Bladebreakers cheered. I almost thought I saw a look of approval on Kai's face – who had suddenly appeared - but it quickly disappeared into his unreadable countenance. I grinned and fixed a new attack ring onto my beyblade.


	7. Chapter 7

I had gotten better at talking to the Bladebreakers after the match against Tyson. My mind reviewed carefully over the last round and for the first time in a while, I actually found a reason to smile. I looked back at the Bladebreakers, captivated by the way their unique personalities somehow interlocked to form a team.

"I'll beat you next time, Tyson," I called. Tyson glanced up with a self-confident expression.

"You can try," he said, his tone cheerful. The Bladebreakers and I reached the bottom of the steps of the stadium building.

"I guess we'll see you later, then," Max said. My mouth dropped into a soft 'oh.' I had forgotten that I would soon be back on my own. Max seemed to notice my expression. "Is something wrong?"

"No…don't worry about it," I replied, feeling cold seep into me. My arms began to sting and I was surprised to see drops of scarlet, before I remembered the incident with my attack ring. I forced a smile onto my face and unclipped the attack ring I had borrowed.

"Thanks for letting me borrow it," I said, holding it out to them. Kenny shook his head and smiled.

"You keep it, Sandy. We don't really need it anymore," he said.

"Are you sure?" I asked. I studied their expressions and several of them nodded. "Thank you, this means a lot." My stomach felt hollow, almost as if it had evaporated suddenly.

"Sandy." I looked over as Hiro and Mr. D joined the group. Hiro gave me a stern, calculating look before continuing. "Your launches are sloppy and you could improve on speed and power; but you did well on strategy and I think you would do well on the team."

"What?" I blinked, failing to register the meaning of his words.

"I talked to Hiro about letting you join the Bladebreakers. He wanted to understand your skill level before agreeing to let you in, but we both agree that you have great potential. Are you willing to accept the offer?" Mr. D asked. I stepped back, overwhelmed by the unexpected information. The opening match, Mr. D and Hiro's agreement at the house… Pieces clicked together in my mind.

"Sandy?" Mr. D said. I glanced at him in puzzlement, before realizing he was still waiting for a reply.

"I…yes! O-of course," I stammered. My brain was finally catching up to the conversation and a thrill ran through me.

"Then it's settled. Welcome to the Bladebreakers, Sandy," Mr. D said.

I walked beside the world-famous Bladebreakers, but waited anxiously for myself to wake up. I didn't dare hope that this could be anything more than a dream. Any moment now, my alarm would ring and I would be hurtled into reality. My stomach clenched at the thought and I studied each of the Bladebreakers' faces, listening carefully to their words, knowing it was all going to vanish shortly. It would all be replaced by the stark, red numbers on my alarm clock.

I flinched as a passerby bumped into my arm and Daichi remarked that I jumped easily. I laughed, but less at his words and more at the confirmation that this wasn't a hallucination. This was real.

We reached my new team's house and it was if I was seeing it for the first time, my eyes picking up little details I had missed. Then flames flickered on the edge of my vision. My excitement dulled and the smile on my lips became strained. It would be better if I didn't let myself get used to this.

"We'll be starting training out in the yard soon. After you get settled in, you can join us," Max called over his shoulder. I shrugged the backpack I was carrying onto the floor. Done. The Bladebreakers split up, moving to various parts of the house to collect equipment, get a drink, and so forth. I grabbed my beyblade and launcher and walked out to the yard.

I was a bit shocked to find Kai already there. He leaned against one of the support beams with his arms crossed, saying nothing.

"Hi," I murmured, not really expecting a response. I didn't get one. I sat awkwardly on the steps, relieved when another person finally arrived.

"Any idea what we'll be working on today?" I asked as Rei stood next to us.

"Probably maneuvering," he answered. "But you can never be completely sure." I waited for him to say more, but was rather disappointed. The conversation sank back into silence. I sighed and took out my beyblade.

On my first launch, Nyclix sputtered and spun to a halt. The same thing happened with the second. And the third. I grew overly conscious on the eyes on the back of my head, my cheeks flushing a deeper red with each failed attempt. After my fourth failure, a cold, deep voice called out.

"You're angling too far to the right. Your beyblade will never keep spinning if you continue to shoot like that." I whipped around, but neither of the Bladebreakers said anything else. I tried to take the voice's advice, but quickly realized I was always leaning to the right or the left, no matter what I did. My jaw clenched in frustration and I yanked the ripcord off my belt. I would succeed this launch.

In one move, I switched hands; loading and pulling the ripcord with my left hand, gripping the launcher in my right. I gasped as pain shot through my arm and I doubled over, clutching my hand. My launcher clattered to the floor.

A whirring sound caught my attention and I noticed Nyclix rotating steadily on the stone pathway. The victory was short-lived, however, as I felt something wet seep through the bandages in my glove. I had re-opened the wound.

"You okay, Sandy?" Kenny asked. He and the rest of the Bladebreakers filed onto the porch.

"Fine," I managed through gritted teeth, scooping up my finally spinning 'blade. Waves of pain still crashed through my fingers. Coach Hiro walked to stand in front of the group.

"All of you need to improve on agility and power. We'll start by doing twenty push-ups, after that we'll continue last time's practice with soda cans. Sandy, I want you working on launching," Hiro said, before adding, "Left hand only." I cringed with the information that Hiro had been watching my failures, but nodded gloomily. The only thing I could do was try to make it up to him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Alright! You guys are actually getting two chapters today because I'm terrible at updating my sister's story... Heh heh... Sorry! Enjoy the story anyways!**

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I lay back on my pillow, watching the darkness around me fade to blue-hued light. Several times now I had startled awake, facing flames reaching for my face. Every time I had woken up, I was breathing hard and struggling to remember where I was.

A lone light flickered on in the Bladebreakers' kitchen and soft movements swished about. I decided if someone else was up, I should be too. Quietly keeping an eye out for stirring from the other sleeping shapes around me, I got up and ready. The light in the kitchen winked out, plunging the room into darkness. A shadow slid toward the door and I crept over to it. I caught a glimpse of spikey, dark hair and hard, narrowed eyes.

Kai glanced in my direction – perhaps in shock, if he was capable of that – and I soundlessly inquired where he was going. Kai merely swept past me to open the door and I threw out a hand to touch his shoulder. He turned to give me an impatient glare.

"Can I come?" I asked carefully.

"I'm no one's babysitter," Kai muttered. Without another word or look, he walked out the door. The comment stung, but I brushed it off with a shrug. I shouldn't have expected anything less. I grabbed my backpack and began walking in the opposite direction Kai had, the door swinging shut behind me.

Over the next few days, I practiced launching with my left hand until I could barely tell which hand was the injured one. Pale bruises surfaced and vanished where the attack ring shrapnel had hit me. Fortunately, my efforts weren't wasted and Nyclix was starting to spin on most of my attempts. My movements were getting quicker and the power behind my strikes was growing.

I had been steadily increasing the time spent practicing until there wasn't a lot of time left between eating, practicing, and sleeping. As grateful as I was to the Bladebreakers, I didn't see them other than at meals or team practice. Talking to them reminded me too much of what they were sacrificing to let a newbie on their team, that I needed to be practicing harder. It also didn't help that whenever I saw them, fire raged just out of sight. I barely spent time with any of them at all. Though this changed when Hiro announced we were leaving.

"It's time our team travelled to the location of the tournament finals," Hiro said over breakfast.

"Where're we goin'?" Tyson asked through mouthfuls of food. Both he and Daichi were locked in the fierce competition of who could eat the most. I frowned as one of them picked an uneaten piece of toast off my plate. I sighed softly, before acknowledging that I hadn't really wanted to eat it. Not badly, anyway.

"New York," He answered. Max looked up in surprise, a delighted expression lighting his face.

"No way!" He exclaimed, excitedly. "Will we have time to see my mom?"

"Actually, Max, your mom is one of the people helping organize the finals. I'm sure you'll be seeing her a lot," Hiro said. Max jumped out of his seat, throwing his fist in the air.

"This is so great! Sandy, you live in the United States too, right?" Max said, turning to me eagerly. My eyes widened in shock at suddenly being addressed.

"Technically, yes, but I'm on the opposite coast," I said. I laughed, a little bit ruefully. "To me, New York is almost as foreign as Japan." Max looked a little bit crestfallen and I added hastily, "But I'm excited to meet your mom and it will be great to be back in my country." The blond-haired boy smiled and regained his enthusiasm.

"This will be the best tournament ever!" He shouted. I smiled happily, trying not to let the empty feeling inside spoil the moment.

"We'll be flying in the afternoon," Hiro said. "Everyone needs to be ready to depart by twelve thirty." The Bladebreakers chatted excitedly – except for Kai – with Max the most eager of all. My lips gently curved upward as I watched them, before I dropped back into my serious expression; the one that didn't require a lot of effort from me. After a few moments, I quietly snagged my backpack and exited the scene.

We all milled about the airport a couple of hours later. Hiro unwisely left us alone so he could attend to last minute preparations. The group continued to talk and my fingers itched to draw out my beyblade. Unfortunately, there was nowhere to go with the crowds and the upcoming plane trip. This fact was made clear after I attempted to work around the people and almost lost Nyclix permanently.

"Are you sure this is where we're supposed to be?" Kenny asked, fidgeting with his glasses.

"I think so," Tyson said. I withheld a groan as I heard him hesitate. The Bladebreakers looked around uncertainly. I sighed softly. We were definitely lost. A group of people to the left caught my attention, the gleam of hard plastic flashing from their belts. Beybladers. I turned to follow them with my eyes, inhaling sharply as the group suddenly wheeled to face us.

"It can't be," a boy said. "Are you guys the Bladebreakers?" The boy immediately came closer, two boys and a girl following him. He had smooth, brown hair and a charming smile, but I noticed it never reached his eyes. His eyes were cold and dark.

I frowned as he stopped in front of Tyson. Tyson grinned, placing a hand on the back of his head. He responded cheerfully, "That's us." The boy's smile grew wider.

"It's always nice to meet opponents." Tyson's eyes widened and Max stepped in.

"What do you mean?" Max asked.

"Didn't you know? We're in the tournament too," the boy said. His eyes glittered darkly for a second, but returned to normal. "We're part of the Whitney Warriors."

"Oh!" Kenny exclaimed in recognition. "I've heard of you. You guys did fantastic in the qualifying rounds!" Rei and Max glanced over at Kenny and then at the Warriors, seeming impressed. Daichi harrumphed, rather uninspired by the news. Kai crossed his arms, but he wasn't ignoring the exchange.

"You must be really good then," Hilary said. The boy glanced at her and walked over, his smile growing wider still. I forced myself not to step in front of her.

"We are," he said, smugly. "And who might this beautiful young lady be?" Tyson suddenly looked unhappy for some reason. Hilary blushed at the attention and her voice was a bit shy.

"Hilary Tachibana." The boy bowed slightly, his charming smile never wavering.

"Will Smithwright." I glanced over at Kai who had suddenly taken a step back. His face was unusually pale. I studied him inquiringly, but was forced to turn away when Will spoke again.

"Well, it was nice talking to you, but I'm afraid we have to go. See you at the tournament, Bladebreakers." Daichi glared at the boy's back as he and his team walked off.

"I don't like that guy," he muttered.

"Me neither," Tyson said, sounding annoyed. "The guy's head was too big if you ask me." Hilary let out a short laugh.

"Remind you of anyone?" She asked slyly.

"I don't have a big head!" Tyson exclaimed indignantly. Both of them broke into fierce argument, Kenny trying in vain to interfere.

"You guys, focus on the bigger issue at hand!" Kenny called in exasperation. "We're lost, remember?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey Guys! Sorry it's been so long... That's entirely my fault... My sister has like five chapters ready and I've failed to post any until now... I apologize! Gomen Nasai! Here it is, another awesome chapter!**

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Tyson and Hilary stopped after exchanging a few more retorts and contented themselves with ignoring each other.

"Have any ideas how we can find the place we were supposed to meet Hiro, Chief?" Tyson asked, still heatedly looking away from Hilary.

"No," said Kenny, staring at his laptop. "Any luck getting a signal, Dizzi?"

"Sorry, Chief," Dizzi replied. "I still can't access it." Kenny sighed and looked up from his computer.

"Thanks anyway, Dizzi. Sorry guys, but the GPS signal is really weak. We can't seem to pinpoint our location," he said.

"What are we going to do? Our flight leaves in ten minutes," Tyson groaned. The group talked amongst themselves nervously. I frowned and looked around for a map of the airport. No matter how hard I looked, however, no trace of a sign or flyer with one appeared. That meant there was only one option left.

I walked up to the desk of a nearby flight attendant. A twinge of nervousness shot down my back, but I did my best to put on an apologetic smile. The woman didn't seem to notice I was there and continued typing on her computer. After a few moments, though, she jumped and looked at me in surprise.

"Can I help you?" The flight attendant asked politely.

"Sorry to bother you," I said, my voice coming out in little more than a whisper. "But do you know how to get to the East Waiting Room from here?" I glanced up at her briefly, before quickly returning my eyes to the floor.

"The East Waiting Room?" She repeated. "Just down the hall; take your first right and then first left." I nodded my thanks and quietly slipped back to the Bladebreakers. None of them had noticed I was missing, but Rei and Hilary glanced over when I returned. Kai regarded my appearance with indifference, not seeming surprised.

"Guys," I said timidly. I had to repeat it several times before the Bladebreakers stopped talking to listen. I continued a little uncertainly, "…Sorry for bothering you, but I found out where the waiting room is. It's down the hall to our right, then on our first left."

"How did you find out?" Max said, sounding confused. I began to answer, but Kenny glanced at his watch and started.

"There's no time. We have to be there in a few minutes!" He exclaimed. That put everyone into action. We all scrambled down the suddenly too long hallway, adding a few new skid marks at the corners. Irritated looks were thrown in our direction as we tried unsuccessfully to avoid running into people on the way.

Hiro caught sight of us and waved at us impatiently, checking the time of the clock on the wall.

"Come on, we have to go," he said, while frowning at his younger brother. "Where were you, Tyson? You guys were supposed to be here ten minutes ago."

"We got lost," Tyson said. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"I gave you clear instructions on how to –" Hiro began before cutting off. "I suppose it doesn't matter now." The Bladebreakers and I hurriedly made our way to the temporary loading tunnel with a speed undocumented in any of our training sessions. All of us were relieved to finally tumble into our seats.

Everyone caught their breath for a few moments, before the excitement of heading to a new location hit us. I smiled at Max, who pressed his face into the window next to me.

"Next stop New York?" I said. I was worried he wouldn't respond, since I hadn't spoken to the Bladebreakers in normal conversation for a while; but Max immediately broke into a cheerful smile.

"That's right," he said, but Dizzi spoke up.

"Actually, the plane is supposed to make a stop in California first." I looked curiously back at the gray laptop, surprised the bit beast had said anything. My heart gave a hard pulse. California.

"I think Sandy meant our final destination, Dizzi," Kenny said.

"Then she should have said so!" Dizzi replied. My cheeks flushed a little bit.

"That doesn't have as nice of a ring," I replied feebly. The laptop screen flashed in a way that reminded me of an eye roll.

"Well, would you have said I was a type writer because it had a _better ring_?" The computerized bit beast sounded exasperated. Most of the other passengers had assumed that I was talking to one of the people next to me, but a few had started to give me weird looks when they realized I wasn't.

"N-Never mind," I stammered. "Sorry."

"Perhaps you should just get a type writer to replace me, if that's all you think of me as," Dizzi said with a sigh. I shook my head frantically and my stammering grew worse.

"N-no, no, sorry," I said, rapidly trying to fix my mistake. "I didn't mean –"

"Dizzi's just being sensitive Sandy," Kenny said reassuringly. "Don't worry about it."

"Stop apologizing so much," Kai murmured. "It's sickening." His eyes were closed when I turned to look at him and I wondered if I had imagined him speaking. I must not have, because Rei joined in from next to him.

"He's right, Sandy. You do tend to act as if you're offending people with your presence." My face fell and I stopped myself from apologizing again, having fallen into the habit after the argument with Dizzi. I didn't know how to respond to Rei's comment, so I simply turned back to stare at the chair in front of me.

Tyson, Daichi, and Hilary got into several loud discussions – or arguments – in which Max or Kenny occasionally joined in, but for the most part the team quieted down. Rei and Kai's words continued to replay in my mind. A shadow settled across me as the voices of my team joined in the fray. The truth was that, in my mind, I was burdening people with my presence.

Night darkened the sky and stars lit up to chase away the darkness. Most of the Bladebreakers had fallen asleep, but we all awoke when Max gave an excited cry.

"Guys, we're here!" My eyes shot open and I glanced out the window. At first, all I could see was glittering golden stars; but as I looked closer, I found that the stars were unusually clumped together and flickered brightly. City lights. We had reached America.


	10. Chapter 10

**Yay another chapter in one day! Sorry, like I said she had five ready... You guys get a lot of chapters! Enjoy! Reviews and constructive criticism are welcome!**

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I watched in anticipation as the lights grew closer. By now, all the Bladebreakers were squirming to look out the windows and barely any traces of sleep clung to them. I smiled, but stayed upright in my seat. There was little need to look out the window when I already knew what was there. Unable to resist, however, I stole a glance at the lights.

"Home." Max half-turned his head in my direction and I realized I had spoken out loud. He stared at me for several seconds until I eventually asked him why. Max cocked his head curiously.

"Did you say something?" He asked. Max quickly added with an embarrassed smile, "Sorry, I think I was so excited I missed it."

"Yes…I mean, no," I said. "It…it wasn't important." My statement hadn't really been accurate anyway, since I actually lived in the northern part of California, miles away from here. The word had been blurted out; it didn't need repeating.

"Are you sure? Okay." Max said, shrugging. After a brief hesitation, he spun around to watch the lights getting closer out the window. "Hey, I think we're landing soon!"

True to Max's exclamation, the plane had started gliding down to meet the runway. The movement was smooth until the plane's wheels jolted against the pavement. Slowly, the airplane slid to a halt.

I shifted to get up, but noticed most of the team had stayed where they were. I glanced at them, puzzled. Then a voice spoke over the intercom.

"We have arrived at the California Los Angeles Stop. This plane will depart for New York City, New York in fifteen minutes. Thank you." I sunk back into my chair, a little disappointed to be staying on the plane. Daichi yawned and slipped back to sleep. He slumped over onto Tyson, who tried to push him off without much success. I studied the shadowy, black buildings outside the window. At some point, however, the view disappeared behind my eyelids.

"Sandy, wake up!" A voice said. I gasped, seizing the hands shaking me. My blurry vision cleared, revealing a startled Max. I gradually released my white-knuckled death grip, wincing at the raw marks my nails had left.

"Wh…why were you shaking me?" I asked, still in shock. "Is something wrong?"

"Ouch!" Max said, rubbing his arms. "The plane's finally landed. It's time to go." The last part was said with building enthusiasm. I tried to steady my breathing and relax my tensed muscles.

"O-okay. Thanks for telling me," I said. I added, "Er…sorry about your arms."

"Remind me not to be the one to wake you," Max said, laughing. "Don't worry about it."

The Bladebreakers and I stepped out into the airport. This time Hiro had learned his lesson and kept us all under his watchful gaze. The crowds were thick with people, making it hard to press our way through. I spotted a glimpse of sunlight through glass doors, but Hiro seemed to be looking for something. Tyson and Max suddenly darted forward.

"Mom!" Max exclaimed, embracing a woman with familiar yellow hair. Tyson was eagerly talking to several people behind the woman. I noted that a few of them had beyblade gear and remembered that Max's mom was the coach of another team. I searched my memory for a moment before recalling them: the All-Stars.

"Hi, honey," Mrs. Tate answered, smiling. "Your coach informed me you would be arriving today, so I thought I'd meet you and your team here."

"I've missed you so much," Max said. "It's great to see you again."

"I've missed you too," she said. Max's mom glanced up at the Bladebreakers for a moment, eyes falling on me. "Who's this?"

"Huh?" Max asked, before following his mom's gaze. I shrunk back slightly. "Oh, this is Sandy. She just joined the team."

"Isn't it a little late for new team members?" Mrs. Tate asked questioningly, studying me more closely.

"She used to be on another team in the tournament, but they're…" Max paused awkwardly, seeming to search for the right words. "They got caught in an accident." Mrs. Tate widened her eyes in recognition.

"I remember now. You're one of the Daredevils, right?" She asked. I looked away and her eyes filled with sympathy. "I heard about the fire. I'm so sorry. The Daredevils were a great team. Your captain, Lee, never lost a round in any of his matches, right?"

I nodded stiffly and stared at a nearby wall. The All-Stars watched me curiously, making me want to disappear into the surrounding crowd. I would have done it had I thought I could find my way out again.

"So where are you staying?" Mrs. Tate asked Hiro, changing the subject.

"Not too far from here," Hiro replied. The conversation shifted and I found myself tuning it out.

In my head, beyblades whirred around plastic arenas. Past matches replayed and I analyzed them carefully. Streams of light clashed together and zipped away, roars echoing as bitbeasts joined the fight. Then several people screamed and fire flooded the arena in my head. I tried to flee, but my feet wouldn't move.

"Sandy?" Rei asked. Orange flames melted into equally bright amber eyes. Both the All-Stars and the Bladebreakers had started leaving and I was left standing alone. I released the air I realized I'd been holding and found myself able to move again.

"Sorry, just thinking," I murmured.

"What about?" He asked. A tremor shot through me and I tried to block out the sound of fire crackling in my mind. I ignored his question, instead pushing past to follow the rest of our team.

Unconsciously, my fingers brushed the small case holding my bey. A purr rumbled impatiently from inside. _Sorry, Nyc', I wish I could. There are too many people here to practice,_ I thought gloomily.

I was dismayed to find even more people outside the building than there were packed within it. Imposing skyscrapers towered above and cars fought for a place on the road. I stepped back as noises flooded from all directions. So this was New York.


	11. Chapter 11

**Once again, enjoy and please review on your way out!**

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I heard a small gasp as Rei stepped up behind me, rejoining the rest of the Bladebreakers. I couldn't stop staring at everything in front of me. My head started ringing as I tried unsuccessfully to take it all in. Hiro waved down two taxis and we all scrambled into motion, finally getting over a bit of the shock.

I watched out the smudged glass window. Buildings rose and fell before my eyes, brightly colored signs flickering as we passed. The scenery blended together in all shades of the grayscale. The seat belt started digging into my shoulder as the taxi driver slammed on his brakes repeatedly, but I barely noticed. My team was crammed into the back seat, almost on top of each other. I was glad that half of the Bladebreakers were in the other taxi. After a bit too many slams of the brake – Daichi was turning green – the yellow taxi abruptly stopped. I glanced out the window and froze. Outside the car were the vivid colors of a hotel sign.

The Bladebreakers filed out of the car and I slid out reluctantly. I rebuked myself for the jolts of fear chorusing down my spine; it was unreasonable. The chances of the same event happening twice were slim, like expecting lightning to strike the same place twice. I tried to paste a smile on my face and followed my team through the doors.

A chill settled over me and the lobby seemed too dark. I stepped closer to Hilary and Rei, who were just ahead of me. My arms instinctively wrapped around myself. I didn't want to do this.

Conversations turned into hazy blurs of words. All colors blended together, looming and pressing in. No.

Tyson led the way to our room. I tried to ignore the doors on either side of me; all were bringing back memories. The cracking and popping of fire ignited in the back of my mind.

I flinched. No, it was just the glare from the overhead light. There was no smell of smoke, no flames. A scream pierced the winding hallways and my steps faltered. The clear, agonized note rang out, joined by other terrified voices. Screams calling out in pain, crying for mercy, shrieking in fear. No, no…!

I bumped into Hilary and Rei. They had stopped suddenly and I glanced up to see Tyson fumbling with a room key. My clothes were damp with sweat and I tried to unclench my fists. This wasn't like last time.

Max and Tyson raced into the room, immediately jumping on the beds. The rest of us filed in more slowly. I caught a glimpse of the hotel room and halted abruptly at the doorway. Kai huffed in annoyance as he crashed into me. The window in the back, the furniture tucked off to the side, the room was a few stories up… Unease trickled into my stomach and I stood paralyzed.

"Is there a problem, Sandy?" Kai asked, folding his arms. His eyes focused sternly on my face. Panic struck me and I made a move to duck around him, but stopped half-way through the motion. If I left the Bladebreakers alone and another fire started… I turned sharply to enter the room, but couldn't move past the doorway. The fire. Flames, smoke, friends vanishing before my eyes…

"Have you decided to enter the room yet?" Kai said behind me. His voice was tinged with impatience, but the question somehow seemed sincere. I let out a shaky breath and placed a hand on the doorway. I tried to feign amusement, forcing myself to give a weak laugh. It probably sounded more like I was choking.

"You might have to wait awhile," I said. I couldn't quite manage a smile. Stepping to the side, I motioned for Kai to walk past me. He didn't move. Max cocked his head in our direction.

"What's going on?" Hilary asked. Other voices began to chime in.

"Sandy? You look pale."

"Are you okay?"

I closed my eyes briefly and entered the room. I reassured the Bladebreakers that I was fine. Repeatedly. Perhaps if I said it enough, I would believe it. After a while, they stopped asking questions and moved on. I tried not to notice my team's occasional looks and concerned expressions.

A knot of tension sat in my stomach. I sat rigid in one of the hotel chairs, watching Hiro for any sign that we were leaving. Hiro caught my stare for the third time and narrowed his eyes.

"Can I go practice?" I asked finally. "Please?"

"You're planning on leaving the rest of your team and practicing alone again?" I opened my mouth to reply, but there was nothing to say. Hiro stayed silent for a moment.

"You know, you might consider taking Tyson and the others with you. I invited you to be part of a team, Sandy, not a solo 'blader," Hiro said. A wave of defensiveness passed over me. I wasn't the only person on the team who left the group a lot. Kai vanished even more than I did. As I was thinking, however, a part of me recognized that Kai showed up whenever he was needed.

"I'll think about it," I replied uncomfortably, edging towards the door. Hiro held my gaze, before resignedly letting me leave.

I swiftly strode out the doorway, halting briefly when fire flashed before me. I shrugged off the stab of fear and moved smoothly down the hallway. As I tried to block out the lingering cries around me, I murmured, "Sorry, Bladebreakers."

I heaved a sigh of relief as I stepped out of the building. My breathing became easier, but my hands shook slightly at my sides. Anxiety hit me hard as I felt the hotel hovering at my back. I yanked out my bey and launcher.

The crowds were still unbelievably thick, but desperation fueled me. I cut through the people, weaving Nyclix in between the legs. My movements quickened and I broke into a run. I continued to weave my beyblade back and forth, but it gradually became unnecessary as the crowd parted and leapt aside. Still I moved faster; trying to keep up with my thoughts, trying to escape my memories. I heard a few people call after me, asking where I was going. I didn't bother answering. I wasn't going anywhere; I was fleeing from myself.

Panting, I reached a quieter park. People still milled about, but it wasn't as crowded as the sidewalks and streets. A group of kids gathered around a small, blue, plastic dish. A beystadium. The beybladers jumped as I walked up behind them, unease flickering in their eyes when they caught a glimpse of my haunted expression.

"Think I can challenge you?" I asked with a rugged smile.

Darkness slowly fell across the sky along with my victims. I felt a twinge of guilt as I sent beyblades rocketing out the arena again and again, but I couldn't stop. Adrenaline ran through my blood and I mercilessly took down each of my opponents. No 'blader who challenged me was spared.

A few times my own beyblade was knocked out, but I retaliated with even more reckless power each time it was. I never considered stopping until my knees began to buckle under me and my targets steadily went home. Some of the beybladers asked if I could give them tips sometime; others scampered away as if I was their worst nightmare, reincarnated and facing them down with a beyblade. Exhausted and weary, I stumbled in the direction of the hotel.

The stars glimmered mysteriously. I observed them carefully, trying to decide if they held any ominous signs. A chill, not from the night air, crept down my back as I caught a glimpse of the neon-yellow hotel sign. I walked stiffly into the hotel, simultaneously trying to walk slow enough to prolong reaching my team's room, but fast enough to block out any sounds of the fire.

Unfortunately, I reached the door in a few short minutes. I stood staring at the white paint and the grains of wood spiraling across it. The round, gold handle waited patiently. My hand reached out unconsciously, fingers wrapping around the smooth metal.

I flinched as sharp pain sparked in my hand and I quickly withdrew it. I looked down in confusion before catching a glimpse of bandages under my glove. I had used my right hand. Sighing, I put forth my left hand and pushed the door open.


	12. Chapter 12

**Another one! Whew! Enjoy, please favorite, follow, and review!**

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Hiro stood up as I entered the room.

"Where have you been? It's almost nine o'clock," he asked.

"Practicing," I murmured. My voice sounded hollow and a little hoarse. I sat on the edge of a bed, but quickly stood up again. I paced backed and forth for a moment, polishing Nyclix's metal attack ring on my shirt. Hiro stayed quiet. I wondered if he was waiting to see if I'd elaborate or if he had simply run out of things to say.

The Bladebreakers were dressed for bed and lounged on the beds and floor. Tyson made a few jokes and people laughed happily. I absent-mindedly tuned out the cheerful sounds and continued to pace, occasionally glancing at the clock. After a while, Hiro walked over to the group.

"It's time to get ready for bed. We're starting training early tomorrow. Everyone should get some sleep," he announced. Hiro shot a look in my direction and I knew he was talking to me. I was still completely dressed and hadn't even removed the ripcord from my belt.

I nodded my understanding and reluctantly brushed my teeth and slipped into my pajamas. I moved to pull off my gloves, but stopped half-way through the right one. Stark white bandages stood out against my pale skin.

My own voice pleaded in my head. _"Wake up! There's a fire!"_ Other voices chimed in. _"There's no way out." "It can't end like this." "Whatever happens, we stick together."_

I stiffened and yanked my gloves back on. Fire surged in the back of my mind and my heart began pounding in my ears. I suddenly couldn't sit still. I paced the room, slowly walking faster and faster. Voices echoed in my thoughts, calling my name. _Sandy._ Terrified wails and cries entered the disarray.

All of a sudden, the doorknob was in my hand. Before I could yank it open, however, Hiro's arm blocked my path.

"It's late at night. Where are you going?"

"Let me go!" I exclaimed. My breathing was ragged and coming out in gasps. "I – I can't stay here."

"Sandy –"

"Please." The last word was almost sobbed and a tinge of desperation filled my voice. Hiro fell silent. My hand shook slightly on the door knob.

"Fine, but take someone with you." There was a moment of silence. I glanced over at the Bladebreakers, who were watching me with worried expressions.

"I'll go," Rei volunteered. I nodded and swiftly exited the room, Rei following behind. My steps quickened as crackling flames leapt behind me. I crashed through the hotel doors and started sprinting.

"Sandy, wait up!" Rei called, grabbing my arm. "What are you running from?"

"Just run," I hissed, pulling out of his grasp. I broke into a run, Rei doing his best to keep pace with me.

I pumped my legs as fast as my tired muscles would allow. After a few minutes, my hours spent challenging beybladers caught up to me and I was forced to slow. I panted, holding a stitch in my side. Rei walked quietly by me for a bit, but then he spoke up.

"Why were we running?" He asked. I could feel Rei watching me, but I didn't meet his gaze.

"Running keeps my mind off other things," I murmured. At the mention of 'other things' my pace, as well as my pulse, quickened slightly. Rei lengthened his stride to match mine.

"What other things?" A flash of images flooded my brain.

"Run," I said, adrenaline kicking me back into a jog. My legs and lungs burned, but the pain inside me burned more. Rei continued to keep up with me while waiting patiently for an answer. As we approached the park I had 'bladed at earlier, I realized he wasn't going to give in to my silence.

"It…doesn't matter," I said. "Don't worry about it." Rei's patience snapped.

"Stop saying that. If this didn't matter, we wouldn't be out here."

"I didn't ask you to come," I retorted. "You could have stayed back at that deathtrap you call a hotel." My own patience was wearing thin between fatigue and the knot of tension sitting in my stomach.

"And let you run yourself to exhaustion?" Rei asked. He stopped abruptly, forcing me to whip around to face him. Rei folded his arms and frowned at me, his bright amber eyes almost glowing in the darkness. My anger faded away and I shivered, suddenly cold.

"Yes," I said, unable to meet his gaze. "Just about anything sounds better than being in that hotel right now. You…you don't understand what it's like, Rei." I turned away and stared at the trees blowing the wind. The moon cast a silver light on the sidewalks and buildings.

"What _what_ is like?" Rei's voice had softened and I crossed my arms defensively. He moved closer to me, watching my expression.

"Nothing," I whispered unconvincingly, my resolve faltering. The wall holding back my memories was starting to crack, but I was unwilling to face the tide.

"Sandy." A tear slipped down my cheek and I quickly turned away. Rei stepped next to my side and looked into my face. "What's wrong?"

Several more tears streamed down my face, glistening in the darkness. My hard expression shattered and I inhaled a shaky breath. After a few minutes, I glanced up and met Rei's amber eyes.

"It happened on a perfectly normal night," I whispered, my voice carrying only slightly past my lips. "Not entirely unlike this one, in fact." Slowly, I began to unfold my story and spoke of the night embedded on my mind like a photograph.

We walked in silence, Rei lingering a few steps behind me. I felt my fear growing the closer we got to the hotel, but I pushed on, trying to prove to myself that I could do it. When I reached the entrance to the hotel, however, my hand just hovered by the door.

"Are you going to be okay, Sandy?" Rei asked. I took in a long breath and exhaled slowly.

"I have to do this. We need to get back or Hiro will start to worry." I glanced at the pitch black sky and added, "If he isn't already worried."

Rei nodded and said, "Whenever you're ready." He gently pushed the door open and stood holding it. After a moment, I tentatively walked inside.

I flinched as voices ran through the hallways. Rei said nothing, but he nodded encouragingly. After what seemed like an eternity, we reached the white door marking our team's room.

I was surprised to find the Bladebreakers still wide awake. Several of my team mates looked up anxiously, relief flashing across their faces as we walked in. The smiles vanished quickly when they caught sight of my face.

"Have you been crying, Sandy?" Kenny asked. My cheeks flushed and I looked at the floor self-consciously, wishing my hair wasn't braided most of the time. It might have fallen forward and hidden my face from view.

"I'm fine –" I began, but stopped when Rei gave me a sharp look. I cringed at the cracked and rasping sound of my voice. I shook my head and crossed my arms firmly across me. Lifting my eyes off the carpet, I said quietly, "No. I'm not."

I regarded Rei out of the corner of my eye and he dipped his head slightly. I studied each face carefully, before continuing. "Bladebreakers, there's something I need to tell you about the fire."


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay, another chappie. So, this chapter is special cause she added a song into it! It just fits so well with the story. (Don't own it by the way) The song is 'I See Fire' by Ed Sheeran. (Really good song, you should listen to it). Feel free to review, favorite, follow, all that stuff. Enjoy!**

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 _Oh, misty eye of the mountain below  
Keep careful watch of my brothers' souls  
And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke  
Keep watching over Durin's sons_

My alarm rang and out of habit, I whipped around to slam it off. I hated loud, unexpected noises, but alarms were effective. They woke me up fairly quickly. I stared at the clock in confusion as the noise continued. My blood ran cold as the scent of smoke hit my nose.

My eyes widened as I noticed a strange light all around the room.

"Guys!" My voice rang out, high pitched with terror. Lee stirred and regarded me through sleepy eyes. The rest of the Daredevils didn't respond. "Guys, wake up! There's a fire!" Lee jolted fully awake and his eyes flashed around the room.

"Wake up! All of you!" He commanded. Lee looked calm, but his words were tinged with urgency. I felt a small hint of relief as Tus, Chan, and Jos finally moved from sleep.

 _If this is to end in fire  
Then we should all burn together  
Watch the flames climb high into the night  
_

Tus studied the situation with his usual scowl and a rare hint of a smile touched his lips.

"I blame your cooking for this, Chan," he said. Chan who had been rubbing his eyes tiredly, stopped and frowned.

"If you want to cook instead, be my guest," he retorted. Jos shook his head frantically.

"No!" He exclaimed, looking pleadingly at Chan. "Then the food would be even less edible." A reluctant laugh escaped my lips, but it died away quickly as I saw Lee's face.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chan began, folding his arms and staring down at Jos. Then his hand shot up to cover his mouth as he started to cough. Smoke wisped through the room.

"Stop it, boys," Lee said. His brow was furrowed in concentration. Silence fell across the room and the seriousness of the situation began to sit in. Panicked screams from other rooms stabbed through the night. The sound cut through me like knives, leaving me feeling hollow and slightly sick.

 _Calling out father oh  
Stand by and we will  
Watch the flames burn auburn on  
The mountain side  
_

I followed Lee's gaze and dread sunk like a stone in my stomach. Flames flickered tauntingly around the doorway, growing steadily higher. Smoke thickened and coiled, steadily making it harder to breathe. Outside the hotel room's large and only window, city lights shone grimly several stories below.

The sprinkler system looked old and dusty, none of the fire equipment looked like it could be used in case of an actual fire. Perhaps that's why the alarms had taken so long to go off.

The smile had already vanished from Tus's face and Chan's expression was calm and grave.

"There's no way out, is there?" Chan asked quietly. Lee said nothing, but exhaled softly and leaned against the window. He hissed at the heat from the glass and moved away.

 _And if we should die tonight  
Then we should all die together  
Raise a glass of wine for the last time_

"What?" Jos said in alarm. "What do you mean 'no way out'? There's always a way. Right, Lee?" Jos stared at Lee, anxiously waiting for the older boy's response. Lee remained silent, staring out the window.

"Whatever happens, we stick together," he said finally, turning away from the city outside to look at his team. The light had gone out of his eyes, leaving resignation and grim certainty. Jos's face lit with fear and he shook his head in disbelief.

"No. No, it can't be!" He exclaimed. He began to pace around the room, still murmuring 'no.' Tus crossed his arms and looked away, while Chan traced the edge of the room's desk wordlessly. Lee merely rubbed a hand across his eyes.

"Sandy, why didn't you wake us earlier!" Jos cried angrily. I flinched, but Lee spoke up without glancing in our direction.

"If it weren't for Sandy, we might have woken up even later. It's not her fault that the hotel hasn't taken proper safety measures. They must have seen it as an unneeded expense."

I looked at the short boy; his soft brown eyes pleading, his long dark-green hair slightly messed up from sleep. My face softened as I saw the desperate expression on his face. Jos whispered quietly, "Please. It can't end like this."

 _Calling out father oh  
Prepare as we will  
Watch the flames burn auburn on  
The mountain side  
Desolation comes upon the sky_

I stared at the burning door and an idea began forming in my head. It was crazy, but it if I was lucky it might work. A strange smile slid across my face for a moment. It dropped as shrieks hurtled through the air from other rooms throughout the hotel. The smoke caused me to gag and I doubled over coughing, but when I rose, my face was hard with decision.

 _Now I see fire  
Inside the mountain  
I see fire  
Burning the trees  
And I see fire  
Hollowing souls  
I see fire  
Blood in the breeze  
And I hope that you remember me_

I walked swiftly to the door, before I could let myself think about what I was doing. Chan's voice called out uneasily.

"Sandy, what are you – " I seized the flaming door handle and twisted rapidly, knowing I didn't have long. For a brief second I felt nothing, but then searing pain burned into my palm, enveloping everything else. A terrible scream pierced my eardrums, long and excruciating. I curled around my throbbing arm, not remembering when I had fallen and silently begging the scream to stop. It was several moments before I realized the sound was coming from my own throat.

 _Oh, should my people fall  
Then surely I'll do the same  
Confined in mountain halls  
We got too close to the flame_

Shouts filled the air, but the pain in my arm was louder. The wound's sting sliced through me like a lightning bolt.

"Sandy! What were you thinking?" Lee's voice echoed next to me, coming in and out of focus. Tears streamed down my face. "Sandy, speak to me." A wail rose deep in my throat, but words escaped me. I just needed to stop the pain.

 _Calling out father oh  
Hold fast and we will  
Watch the flames burn auburn on  
The mountain side  
Desolation comes upon the sky_

"Stay with us, Sandy. Focus, look at me," Lee's voice was firm and filled with authority. I slowly pulled my eyes open and found Tus and Lee kneeling beside me. Both were blurry through my veil of tears. Tus murmured something to Lee and he nodded seriously.

"We need to get out of here," Lee said, lifting me to my feet. He jerked suddenly in a fit of coughing. A wave of dizziness overcame me and I suddenly lurched forward as black spots crowded my vision. Hands grabbed my shoulders, but my knees still hit the floor.

"Guys, I might pass out," I said. My voice was feeble and gasping. A thought came to me and I willed my voice to be louder and more convincing. "If I do, please just…please just leave me."

 _Now I see fire  
Inside the mountain  
I see fire  
Burning the trees  
I see fire  
Hollowing souls  
I see fire  
Blood in the breeze  
And I hope that you remember me_

"You're going to be fine, stop whining," Tus said sharply, but a note of uncertainty touched his words.

"If you can't walk, we'll carry you," Lee said. He nodded to Chan, who helped grab me and haul me towards the open doorway. It barely registered to me that I had successfully gotten the door open. Jos seemed to have regained his cheerful attitude now that our death wasn't inevitable.

"Come on, guys," he called. He leapt toward the door. My gut twisted unexpectedly, but before I could call out a warning, there was a loud crack. The wood underneath Jos's feet broke and he plummeted through the floor.

Cries reverberated through my team and I stared numbly at the place where Jos had stood. I felt as if I had been impaled. Words shot out, but my mind was too unfocused to make sense of them. Surprise struck me hard as I saw tears run silently down Lee's cheeks and even harder as Tus collapsed next to the hole, yelling and sobbing. Chan leaned against the wall and deep shudders shook his shoulders. Jos wasn't…he couldn't be…

It was my fault. I had opened the door. No one would say it, but I had done this. Darkness overtook my vision and I began to see and hear things in flashes.

 _And if the night is burning  
I will cover my eyes  
For if the dark returns  
Then my brothers will die  
And as the sky is falling down  
It crashed into this lonely town  
And with that shadow upon the ground  
I hear my people screaming out_

I felt myself be moved against the large window, which was opposite the doorway. I heard Chan say something and Lee murmur once more, "Whatever happens, we stick together." A few last screams echoed in the night and then there was nothing. Nothing but darkness and silence.

 _Now I see fire  
Inside the mountains  
I see fire  
Burning the trees  
I see fire  
Hollowing souls  
I see fire  
Blood in the breeze_

The next thing I heard was sirens, shrieking loud and clear. I heard voices all around me. 'She's still breathing. We need to move her to the nearest hospital.' 'That arm's never going to completely heal, not without scarring.' Once again, my vision melted away.

I finally awoke in a white room. There was a soft pillow under my head and white sheets over my body. Bandages wrapped tightly around my arm, which pulsed dully. A nurse startled as she saw my eyes open and moved toward me quickly when I tried to sit up.

"No, you need to rest. Go back to sleep," she said. I stared at her for a moment, but then a jolt ran through me as I remembered.

"What about the fire? Where am I?" I asked frantically, my words tumbling over each other. "What happened? How long have I been out?"

"You're at the city hospital," the nurse said soothingly. "You were in a terrible accident and your arm is badly burned. You need to rest." I shook my head in panic, but stopped when the movement gave me a headache.

"No. What about my group? The Daredevils? Where are they?" I asked. The nurse frowned and started to repeat that I needed sleep. I continued on, my voice rising with every word. "I need to know where they are. Have you seen them? Tus is tall and slender with dark hair. Lee is of medium height and has long brown hair tied in a ponytail. Chan is blond – "

The nurse cut me off and gave me a pitying look that made me freeze. She sighed and said, "I don't think you need any more trauma tonight, but I can see it's stressing you out more not to know. Your team has passed away, only you and one other were found alive."

"That…that can't be," I stammered. "I just spoke to them. Did you find their bodies?"

"No bodies were recovered, but – "

"Then they could still be alive – "

"They aren't." The nurse's words hit me hard enough to stop me from speaking. She continued, "No bodies were recovered because the building collapsed shortly after you and a few others were rescued. The only other person alive from your team was found several stories below your room. He went into a coma due to his injuries from the fire and the fall."

"Jos…" I whispered in shock.

 _I see fire (oh you know I saw a city burning out) (fire)  
And I see fire (feel the heat upon my skin) (fire)  
And I see fire (fire)  
And I see fire burn auburn on the mountain side_

The nurse left the room after a reminder to get some sleep. I relaxed into the pillow, but gazed at the wall for a long period of time. The pain in my heart was worse than the ache in my arm. I couldn't decide whether to be grateful that Jos was alive or shattered because the rest of my team wasn't. Lee's words came back to me like a whisper in the wind: _No matter what happens, we stick together._


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys! My sister has another four updates for you! She wants to apologize for not updating due to a busy schedule, but now she's working on NaNoWriMo for one of her classes so updates will hopefully come quicker. Enjoy!**

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I dug my nails into my arms, aware that none of the Bladebreakers were moving. Curiously, I glanced up to see if they had fallen asleep.

Most of my team was staring at their hands or a section of the room, but a few locked eyes with me, watching silently.

"So, yeah," I murmured silently. I didn't really know what else to say. The room still felt like it was closing in on me and I eyed the walls and door. A loud bang came from across the hall and I jumped. Then I realized it was just a neighbor slamming their door shut.

"You should have said something earlier," Tyson said. "We might have been able to help."

"He's right, Sandy," Hilary said, folding her arms. "You should have said something." I lowered my eyes and stared down at my hands. Hiro stood up and reminded us to get some sleep. Once he was satisfied with everyone's efforts to go to bed, he pulled me aside. I couldn't meet his gaze and tugged at my glove self-consciously. Hiro put a hand on my shoulder to get my attention.

"Sandy, it was brave of you to speak up like that. I appreciate it, as I'm sure the rest of the team does. If there's anything we can do to help, just ask. That's what makes us a _team_." His piercing, brown eyes, so much like his younger brother's, forced me to nod. My friends climbed into bed and steadily fell quiet. I fingered a rip in my pajama pant legs – probably from running around the city in them at night; the thought made me blush in hindsight – and waited for exhaustion to overtake me.

I opened my eyes a crack, noticing as I did that I was curled up near the bottom of my bed. Kai was already pulling his scarf over his head and gathering his gear. I waved half-heartedly at him, fully aware that he was unlikely to answer. To my surprise, he met my gaze.

"G-good morning," I stammered, caught off guard. "W-where are you off to?"

"Out," he murmured, silently strolling towards the door. I called out, talking mostly to myself.

"Any chance I can come?" Kai stopped, glancing over his shoulder at me. I froze under his glare, immediately sorry I'd asked.

"Don't slow me down," he said roughly, exiting. I blinked, not sure I'd heard correctly. A smile almost touched my lips, but it was replaced with alarm when I realized Kai would be half-way down the hall by now. I quickly got ready and rushed out the door after him.

Finally catching up to Kai, I glanced over to see if he would say anything else. He didn't. Kai's legs were longer than mine, so I struggled to keep his pace. There was a tense silence as I walked quickly next to him, almost trotting. A little disappointed – but not surprised – by Kai's few words, I decided to pull out my beyblade. I pushed the ripcord tied to my hip into my launcher, then snapped Nyclix into place. My muscles tensed, but right before I launched, a cold voice to my left spoke.

"I told you that it won't work if you angle your launcher too far in one direction," Kai said. I almost tripped, my attention diverted from launching my beyblade. I narrowed my eyes in annoyance.

"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind," I murmured, striking my arm out and sending Nyclix flying. My bit beast must have felt my lack of concentration, for the gold and green beyblade immediately sputtered to a halt. Kai brushed past me.

"Exactly." I reclaimed my beyblade and caught up to him again.

"You try it," I said, irritated. "It's not easy launching with your non-dominant hand." Kai stopped dead, folding his arms. His eyes were like shards of ice.

"If that's going to be your excuse for everything, you won't get anywhere with a beyblade. Stop hanging onto the past and move forward. If it's too difficult to change your launch position, then use your right arm. If you can't use your right arm, you should have just gone home in the first place." I glanced down, avoiding his gaze. Kai continued walking, never looking back at me.

I started following him, but knew I couldn't steady my launcher with the pace Kai was keeping. Carefully focusing on the angle of my bey, I shot Nyclix out. This time the beyblade steadily whirred, though the landing was a little shaky. Finally. I looked up to see Kai watching me out of the corner of his eye. Immediately 'vanishing' the smile that had been forming on my lips, I rejoined him feigning indifference.

"So what now?" I asked.

"Now you start practicing launching," Kai said.

Hours later, I had learned several valuable lessons. Among them, that Kai could do impossible tasks with a beyblade and a few soda cans, and that I had a lot of work to do. I had lost two matches against him in a humiliating fashion and my fingers ached from gripping my launcher. Still, if I was willing to admit it to myself, I felt a new sense of accomplishment for finally being able to practice with one of the Bladebreakers' most infamous 'bladers.

As it reached ten o'clock, we headed back.

"Thanks for letting me practice with you," I added carefully.

"Don't get used to it," Kai said. "At least now we'll have a team of 'bladers who can actually launch a bey." I almost fell behind, my pride stinging. But I was starting to wonder…if perhaps, there was something more behind Kai's hard, blunt words.

To my surprise, there were still Bladebreakers sleeping when we got back to the room. Namely Tyson, Daichi, and Max. The face of my watch caught my eye and I jumped.

"I have somewhere to be," I exclaimed, turning to exit. I could feel Hiro's stare boring into me.

"Where are you going?" Rei asked.

"Oh, I have a match with a friend of mine," I said.

"Aren't outside matches prohibited in the finals?" Kenny broke in. I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, embarrassed. Memories of the many times I had bent that rule surfaced in the back of my mind.

"Well, it's not an official match…but, yeah, I guess it's not really legal…"

"Well then, shouldn't we get going?" A voice called. I turned to see Tyson suddenly listening with rapt attention. Max had already woken up and Rei was gathering his things. I hesitated briefly, before nodding. With a small smile, I brushed some dirt off the top of my beyblade.

"Yes, we should."

"I'll stay here," Kenny said. "I need to do some research on a few beyblade designs. Daichi and Max, can I have your beyblades for a while?" Max tossed Draciel to Kenny.

"Sure, Chief."

"You mean I can't bring my bey?" Daichi groaned. He also handed it to the tech guy of the Bladebreakers. I shifted back and forth on my feet, anxious to get going. I didn't want to be too late. As soon as the team was ready, I jogged out the door and hurriedly made my way to the park.

Panting, I arrived at a small crowd of young 'bladers. Some of them were pacing, others crossed their arms as if doubting I would show up. A rugged smirk crossed my face and my eyes lit up in anticipation of a new match.

"So, you ready?" I asked. The small boy looked terrified at the fire burning in my gaze. He raised his launcher slightly, but it shook in his hands. I did my best to soften my expression and knelt beside him. Without a word, I reached out my hand and steadied the boy's shaking fingers. "Are you ready?" I repeated. "I said I would teach you some of my moves, right?"


	15. Chapter 15

"That wasn't really a match," Rei said, stretching. I shrugged, too trapped in my world of attacks and counter-attacks to respond properly.

"Of course it was," Tyson said. "All matches are matches to me."

"Don't you feel bad about beating the kid like that?" Hilary asked. I came out of my trance a bit. _Did I really beat him that badly?_ I tried to remember the moves I had used, but it was all a blur in my head. Flashes of light, sparks as attack rings collided, clangs of a battle taking place.

"It might have looked rough, but I think Sandy was holding back quite a bit on him," Rei said. Hilary agreed after a moment, both of their words saving me from answering.

I still wove my bey back and forth in front of me as I walked, not ready to stop 'blading yet. My energy drained away from me, though the sensation wasn't entirely unenjoyable. Suddenly something caught my eye.

A figure stood on the roof of a building, several stories above us. As I blinked, however, the figure vanished and left only shadows behind. The event quickly left my mind.

Within the next few weeks, the team's next match approached. All participating in the match worked hard, practicing their grip until blisters sprung up and battling in matches until their minds swam with fatigue.

"Sandy, move quicker on your turns. You're leaving yourself open to an attack," Hiro called over his shoulder. I forced myself to spin, leaving the ground in a quick pirouette. There was a twinge in my ankle as I hit the ground. I bit my lip and ignored it. There was no way I was losing my place in tomorrow's match.

"Hey, Maxie," a woman said. I looked away from my bey to see the All Star team join us. I immediately stopped 'blading and caught Nyclix in my hand. Max and Tyson, as well as Rei and Kenny, crowded into greet their old friends. I hung back and watched carefully, studying the opposing team. There was stiffness in the air that I couldn't place. For some reason, it made me nervous. I flexed my ankle quietly and cleaned my bey on my shirt.

"Mom!" Max said. "What are you doing here?"

"Just checking in," Mrs. Tate said with a smile. "Did you know there was another fire last night? We came to see if everything was all right here." My blood ran cold.

"Another fire?" Kenny asked. "Where at?" My heart thumped in my ears and scenes replayed in my head. I found myself paralyzed. The people around me felt distant as if I was watching a movie. _Another fire._

I quietly left the Bladebreakers and All Stars talking, feeling slightly numb. I managed a nod to Kai, who missed nothing, and pushed through the crowds in the street. After taking several side streets, I finally found a few quiet, abandoned roads and released Nyclix. The buzzing of my beyblade's gears comforted me and a memory flashed into my mind.

" _Not a bad bey," Lee admitted, turning it to see all the different angles of my beyblade. Chan took it, critically analyzing it for a second, before tossing it back to me. My hands fumbled to catch the small top._

" _Not bad, but it will never make it in the tournament," Chan stated bluntly, pushing his glasses higher up on his sharp nose. I stared at him, mortified. A playful smile crossed Lee's face, as if he found something secretly amusing._

" _I wouldn't say that, Chan," Lee said. Then his expression turned more serious, though a smile still played on his lips. "But she will need something else. Try this." Lee put a hand in his pocket and drew out something small. I held out my hands to receive it and looked in wonder at the plastic emblem resting on my palm. It was a small circle containing a picture of a fierce, proud mountain lion, or puma, as some would call it. As I stuttered out my thanks, Lee spoke again, his eyes glowing with an expression I couldn't name._

" _We stumbled across this during a lightning storm. Her name is Nyclix. Somehow, I think she belongs to you."_

"Sandy, wait up!" Max said. The blond-haired boy ran up to me. I didn't respond, but scuffed the ground with my foot, watching Nyclix swerve in response.

"What are you doing here?" I eventually asked. Max shook hair out of his eyes, which was messed up from running.

"My mom invited us to go with them to the tournament early," he said happily.

"Safety in numbers?" I muttered, still maneuvering my bey.

"What?" Max asked. Then his eyes widened and he suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Sorry, Sandy. I forgot what another fire would mean to you."

"That's okay," I said. "So when are we leaving?" Max smiled and gestured for me to follow him.

"Right away," he said.


	16. Chapter 16

I walked after Max, following a few steps behind. Within a few minutes, the Bladebreakers and the All-Stars were on a bus travelling to the American team's base. I stared out the window, not speaking to anyone. The All-Stars talked cheerfully to my friends.

A red-haired girl with glasses sank into a chair beside me. I jumped and watched her uncomprehendingly.

"It does get kind of loud, doesn't it?" She said. "My name's Emily. You're Sandy, right?" I nodded and continued to watch her. The girl continued, seeming oblivious to my silence.

"Are you excited for the finals? How long have you been 'blading anyway?"

"A few months," I murmured. Emily's eyes went wide.

"Only a few months? Wow, how did you get this far?" She exclaimed. I crossed my arms and looked away. Noticing my expression, Emily backtracked, "Oh, sorry. That must have sounded rude. But really, you've only been beyblading a few months? You're pretty good."

I shrugged. My mind was wandering, though I knew that I should have been talking to Emily. I just couldn't focus when the news of the previous fire kept surfacing in my brain. Emily frowned at me suddenly.

"Do you always zone out like that? It's not very nice to ignore people who are just trying to talk to you. I'm trying to include you, you know," She said. I looked at her in surprise.

"Include me?" I asked. Emily readjusted her glasses and looked annoyed.

"Don't sound so surprised. You're sitting in the back of the bus and haven't said a word to anyone since we arrived," Emily said heatedly.

"I just don't like talking to people," I said apologetically.

"Well, you won't make any friends that way," she replied. "And I don't just mean with us." Emily nodded toward the Bladebreakers sitting several seats ahead and added, "I'm talking about your team, too. Beyblading is a team sport, Sandy. Don't forget that."

Emily finally moved to another seat, closer to her team. I observed as she struck up conversation with Michael and began talking animatedly. Her words sounded eerily familiar. Hiro's voice came back to me. _"I invited you to be part of a team, Sandy, not a solo 'blader."_ After thinking for a little bit, I came to a decision. The thought of talking to other people made me feel a little sick, but I quietly stood up and moved to the seat just behind the rest of my team. Kenny glanced up from his laptop and looked back at me.

"Oh hey, Sandy," he said, looking inquiring. "Did you decide to join us?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Good, you can help me. What do you think would be better? Increased spin for greater attack power or an increased defense ring that would last longer in matches?" Kenny asked.

"Um…." I took out Nyclix and studied her carefully. "Well, that depends on whose bey you're talking about. I personally wouldn't mind added attack power, but don't really want a thicker defense ring weighing my bey down. I rely on speed. But someone like Max, for instance, would probably prefer a better defense ring." From several rows ahead, Max glanced back at us.

"What about me?" He said. Kenny shook his head.

"Oh, nothing. We were just discussing attack versus defense," the short boy said. Max shot his fist into the air as if he had just won an award or something.

"Defense all the way," Max cried out. Then he smiled. "It's nice to see you coming to sit by us, Sandy." I nodded feeling a bit embarrassed. A grumpy cough came from next to me. I whipped around to find Kai glaring at me from the other side of the seat. I hadn't realized he was there. Immediately, heat rose to my face and I opened my mouth to apologize. But Kai simply dropped his head back onto his chest and closed his eyes in sleep.

I glanced at Kai and shifted over a few inches, uncomfortable now at the seat I'd chosen. The spiky, gray-haired boy seemed to scowl even in his sleep. I studied his face carefully, trying to picture what one of his smiles would look like.

"What are you staring at?" Kai mumbled. I jumped and spun my head to face the front of the bus.

"Nothing," I said. After several minutes of driving, we finally arrived at a large square building. Tons of people swarmed around it, entering and exiting the building. All of them looked serious and seemed to have somewhere to be. The bus came to a halt at one of the parking stalls. I hesitantly reached out a hand to wake Kai, but he was already stirring. My out-stretched hand almost brushed his arm, but I quickly jerked it back.

The teams filed out of the door and I stared in awe. Several beybladers huddled around high-tech training stadiums and a few wore fancy launchers that had some kind of computer screen attached. I watched as they called 'Let it rip' and fired their beys into the stadium.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Mrs. Tate asked, coming up next to me. I nodded, walking closer to one of the stadiums that seemed to track beyblade movements on its surface. Brightly colored lines of different colors traced the paths of the 'bladers that were using it. They seemed to be trying to work on accuracy and countering attacks.

The beyblader to my right groaned, retracting his bey as it slid out of the desired pattern.

"Better luck next time, Devin," the 'blader on the left laughed. Gradually, the people around the tracking stadium realized I was there.

"Who are you?" The right beyblader, Devin, asked. The beyblader on the left reclaimed his bey. I opened my mouth to respond, but the left 'blader cut me off.

"It looks like she's with the beyblade team from Japan. She probably doesn't speak English," he said. Then turning and smiling at me, "You want to beyblade?" The boy slowed his words down ridiculously, emphasizing every vowel and gesturing to his launcher and the stadium.


	17. Chapter 17

Wordlessly, I clipped Nyclix into the launcher and stared at him quietly. The boy did the same, moving to the other side of the stadium. Devin stood between us and raised his hand.

"One, two, three…"

"LET IT RIP!" We shouted. I heard a few faint exclamations and the sound of running feet. Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed several of the Bladebreakers and All-Stars standing by me. Then my attention focused solely on the match.

As my beyblade shot towards the ring, a bright purple line traced my bey's movements. I groaned inwardly when Nyclix wobbled slightly, but fortunately the beyblade evened out as it raced down the side of the stadium.

My opponent's bey was marked by a neon-green line. After the initial launch, his bey didn't shift more than an inch from the center of the stadium. _So he has a defensive-type bey,_ I thought. I eyed the bey warily, trying to figure out the best strategy for attack.

With a sharp kick of my foot I attacked his bey experimentally. To my surprise, there was no sound as I collided with his bey. I attacked a few more times, listening carefully. No clanks. No screeching metal. The boy across from me smiled as if at a private joke.

I trained my eye on his bey, which didn't waver at any of my attacks. As I struck again, I noticed the beyblade seemed to twist. Once more, no sound. I glanced up at my opponent and cocked my head, thinking.

"Confused?" The boy asked, seeming to guess my thoughts.

"Your bey is moving," I said. The boy's mouth dropped and he looked over at Devin. I almost smiled when I remembered that he thought I couldn't speak English. I quickly explained, "You're too quick to jump to conclusions. I may be on a Japanese team, but I'm actually from America. Your bey, how is it dodging without moving its position?"

"Tarygan _is_ moving," the boy said. He recovered quickly, though his cheeks were flushed pink. "The gear structure allows it to move at such a small scale that motion is nearly impossible to detect. All of your strikes are useless against my ability."

"You can't win without attacking," I replied, launching another few attacks.

"On the contrary, I just need to wait until you run out of power. Another bonus of Tarygan's gear structure is that it can spin up to two minutes longer than other beys."

"Oh, yeah?" I asked, trying to keep him talking. Silently, I started weaving my bey in half-moon patterns. I adjusted the pattern so that Nyclix softly attacked Tarygan on all sides, building up speed. "What if you were put up against another defense-type beyblade?"

"Then I'd just wait for them to lose their spin and attack. Tarygan can withstand any type of bey and strategy," the boy said. He seemed pleased at my interest. I narrowed my gaze.

"Even this one?" I broke the half-moon pattern and slammed directly into the underside of his bey. As expected, Tarygan twisted to dodge. The boy grinned.

"You missed." I smiled back.

"Not quite." Nyclix hit the side of the stadium and rebounded into the top of the boy's bey. There was a loud crack before Tarygan whirled to a stop. A crumpled dent marked the top of the bey.

"How…?" The boy asked. He didn't seem to know quite how to react.

"And that's the problem with using tracking stadiums," I said. "They make it too easy to catch your opponent's patterns."

"Good to know," Mrs. Tate said, standing a few feet away. I jumped and looked at her. Finally realizing that I'd been using her equipment without permission, I apologized and immediately put away my launcher. Max's mom smiled and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. I'm glad you enjoyed my invention. Now, would you like to continue the tour?" She asked, walking toward the building.

As Mrs. Tate pulled ahead, I looked back at the people surrounding the tracking stadium. I noticed that most of the Bladebreakers were cautiously watching Michael and Emily as they two stared into the stadium. The two seemed to be whispering to each other and pointing at something.

"What's going on?" I asked Rei and Max as they caught up with me.

"Last time we were here, the All-Stars used informal matches to find out our beyblading strategies. I'd be careful what you show them, Sandy," Rei said. The boy straightened his white and blue uniform, still eyeing Michael and Emily. Max nodded, but he looked conflicted about something.

"Wouldn't anyone want to study the Bladebreakers' strategies if they got the chance? I mean, you guys are world champions," I asked. I was genuinely curious about what had happened between my team and the All-Stars. The two teams acted like good friends and this new tension was unexpected. I was relieved to see that my question pulled Max out of his trance.

"We weren't champions back then," he said, his face lighting up. "People didn't realize they should have been keeping their eyes on us." I smiled at Max, but the thought came to me that I really didn't know very much about the Bladebreakers. They each seemed to have lives and backstories that I could only infer or guess at. I shivered as I realized I was probably fulfilling Emily's prophecy that my silence would keep me from making friends.

"Now we could probably expect people to keep tabs on us," Rei said with a laugh. "It wouldn't surprise me if someone had a whole file of information collected on Tyson."

"More like a cabinet of files," Max agreed, grinning at the thought. The boys snorted. My lips twisted upward in a smile.

"So what was your first tournament like?" I asked, trying to picture a time when the Bladebreakers were just another set of unknown amateurs. I thought of Kai and Tyson and the image failed.

"Exciting and stressful," Max replied. Both he and Rei began describing their first year beyblading in a tournament. I listened intently as they shared stories of training, hard matches, and people. As well as the many times they had gotten lost or in trouble along the way.

Before long, the three of us were talking animatedly. I even found myself sharing a few of my own experiences with the Daredevils, though recalling them made me a little sad. I quickly learned that Max had a sense of humor and an easy smile, while Rei was more serious and good with retorts.

Mrs. Tate lead us around the research facility, showing the Bladebreakers and I some of the new technology they had come up with over the years. Daichi and Tyson maintained a certain distance from the others, however, responding that beyblading was about spirit and not the technology that went with it. I personally agreed with them, but couldn't help staring at some of the new launchers and stadium arrangements anyway.

Eventually, it was time for lunch and I took my food outside to enjoy the sunny weather. Being inside the building, even such a big one, was making me restless. My mouth watered and my stomach rumbled as I looked at my plate. Though Japanese food was good, I was happy to see a slice of pepperoni pizza again.

I was about to bite into my pizza when a cold breeze blew through the air. Chilled, I huddled tighter into my black jacket. A strange sensation came into my mind causing me to look around. A figure leaned against the windowsill inside the building, his face half covered in shadow.


	18. Chapter 18

"Tus," I said, staring disbelievingly at the figure. Thoughts coursed through my mind, but none stuck for more than a few brief seconds. Hope flickered dimly inside me. Before I could move, footsteps interrupted me.

"Can we sit with you?" Max asked. Rei, Hilary, and Kenny followed close behind.

I immediately looked back toward the building and the windowsill. The mysterious figure had dissolved into the shadows. The memory of the fire consumed the hope I had felt, leaving nothing but ashes.

"Sure," I replied.

"If you don't want us to, we can go somewhere else," Hilary started. I shook my head in alarm.

"No, no, that's okay," I said. "Please sit." I glanced down and noticed my slice of pizza lying forgotten on the ground.

"That's a shame," Max said, as I gloomily picked it up. "If you want you can have one of mine." He held out a plate with a couple of slices on it. I met his eyes, reaching slowly for a piece and watching carefully for any signs of unwillingness. Max just smiled.

"How many slices did you _get_ , Max?" Hilary asked. She stared at the five slices of cheese pizza stacked on top of each other. Max glanced at her and laughed, taking a piece of pizza.

"You should see Tyson's and Daichi's plate!" He exclaimed. I searched for Tyson's jet black hair and cap, curious now. Catching sight of the two, my mouth dropped. It looked like they had stacked two full pizzas on their plate, a small mountain of slices. I bit into my cheese pizza, rather subdued. Remembering that Max's mom had wanted us to go with them to the tournament, I asked Max about it.

"Well, the finals don't start until tomorrow morning. My mom wanted to show us around her facility and some of the technology she's been working on. We'll stay the night here and go up tomorrow," Max said. I nodded. What I'd said about 'safety in numbers' returned more strongly to me.

"What do we do until then?" I asked, already bored.

"Practice," a voice said. We turned to see Hiro's dark gray hair and white-and-red jacket. Max and I put down our pizza and unlatched the launchers from our belts.

"Yes, Coach," we said together. I threw away what was left of my lunch and, after asking Max's mom which stadiums I could use, started practicing launching. My bey still wavered whenever it hit the stadium floor, much to my disappointment. However, it rarely spun out at the beginning of my launch now. I fired again. Sparks ignited as Nyclix sliced the metal and plastic combination of the stadium I was using. Annoyance surged through me as a voice called out during my launch.

"You're still slanting your launcher too far to the right," Kai said. I spun around, eyes flashing.

"Yeah, well –" I began, but realized Kai was already walking away. I glared at his back and reclaimed my bey, deciding to try a different stadium. As I walked towards another stadium nearby, I passed Rei who was trying out attacks in a mountain themed stadium. Driger's green and white form roared above the stadium, Rei's bey flashing in complicated patterns. On impulse, I suddenly ran forward and shot Nyclix into the stadium. My bey wobbled, more shakily than usual. With one move, Driger pounced, shooting Nyclix out.

"Hey, Sandy. Kai getting on your nerves?" Rei asked, patiently waiting for me to launch again. My cheeks flushed angrily at the thought.

"That obvious?" I mumbled, firing Nyclix back into the bowl. Rei smirked.

"You're never usually this bad at launching," he said. I shot Nyclix back into the stadium, groaning as she spun out again.

"I see your point," I sighed. "Why can't he give it a rest and start chewing out someone else for once?" Rei kept smiling, but his eyes became more serious.

"He probably sees what the rest of us see in you. You have great potential, Sandy." I launched a third time and watched Nyclix spin at last. My beyblade whirred, filling the silence that hung in the air. Rei watched Nyclix and quietly added, "That and he probably likes you."

"Yeah right," I scoffed. "I'm not entirely sure Kai likes anybody. I'm not even sure I register to him as an ally, let alone a friend." Rei sent Driger charging forward and I swerved to avoid his attack. He looked thoughtful.

"I think we've all thought that at some point," Rei said. "But even though he acts tough, Kai's come through for us a number of times." I sliced Nyclix around in a brutal attack, hitting Rei's bey hard. As Driger started to wobble, Rei reclaimed it and ended the match.

"Hm. Well, I think I'm going to check out some of the other beystadiums," I said. Rei tossed Driger into the air and caught him on the way down.

"Mind if I come with you?" Rei asked. "There's not much else I can do with this stadium."

"Okay," I said with a shrug. "I'm heading that way." Rei and I walked through the different stadiums, trying them out. After testing a magnetic beystadium (which I hated because it reduced my speed and Rei loved for the same reason), a couple of water filled ones, and a volcano-shaped stadium which occasionally spurted sticky lava, we passed Tyson and Max. Both were in the middle of what seemed to be an intense battle, while Hilary and Kenny watched carefully. I quietly inquired Kenny what was going on.

"I've made improvements to both their beys. Right now, we're checking to see what adjustments need to be made. That reminds me, I have a few ideas for Nyclix too, Sandy," Kenny said. Seeing the look on my face, he added, "I know you don't like changing the original design, but I think what I have in mind will help you out in matches."

I studied the image of Nyclix emblazoned on the top of my bey and something shifted inside me. I handed her over to Kenny with a nod.

"Thanks, Chief," I said.

"No problem." Tyson's Dragoon was starting his Galaxy Storm Attack, or as I thought of it, the Death Spiral. I almost turned away, thinking I knew how the match was going to end, but I realized that Max's bey hadn't been blown out yet.

"Come on, Draciel!" Max yelled. The wind carried his voice away and made it hard to hear him. Draciel shone green and I glimpsed his bit beast standing tall in the center of the tornado. Max's beyblade spun steadily in the center of the stadium. Suddenly Tyson's wind attack died away and Dragoon lost its power. Max reclaimed his still spinning bey.

"Wow, you can have my bey anytime, Chief," he said, cheerfully. Tyson looked irked.

"How come Max is suddenly more powerful than me?" Tyson asked.

"He's not, Tyson," Kenny replied. "You just use too much reckless power. If you want to beat Max, you'll have to start applying strategy."

"I do use strategy," Tyson said. "Sometimes." I smiled at the argument, but started to lose interest after a few minutes. My fingers brushed the top of my beyblade compartment and I remembered in annoyance that I had given Nyclix to Kenny. _Now what?_ I thought.

I looked around and found Kai beyblading at one of the distant beystadiums. For a second I considered going to watch him, but as if knowing what I was thinking, Kai suddenly turned from practicing and glared in my direction. I recalled that I was still irritated with him. That left one last option.


	19. Chapter 19

I reached into my bag and took out a small, ragged notebook. The pages inside of it were filled with scribbles and all sorts of geometric shapes.

Without waiting for the Bladebreakers behind me, I strolled off into an open patch of field. Flipping the notebook to the next blank page, I removed the pencil from the notebook's spine and wrote in the date. The page next to the blank one was filled with different angles that were either crossed off or circled. I sketched a new angle and set the book down. With one bound, I leapt into the air, twirled, and landed, throwing my legs in the angle that I had just sketched. Unfortunately, the angle was impossible to pull off. My feet slid and I instantly got a clear view of the blue sky overhead.

Climbing to my feet, I crossed out the angle and tried a new one. This time I landed it well and the angle was circled in my notebook. I might have looked crazy to any bystanders, but this was the method I had used to create powerful new attacks for Nyclix. Once more, I sketched another angle.

I kept practicing new angles and shapes until bruises covered most of my arms and sides. A few times, people had tried to interrupt me. Max, who wanted to know what I was up to; Hiro, who said it was dinner time; and an old gardener, who complained about me destroying the grass. I ignored all of them and continued practicing. Despite my best efforts, I still felt like I had too much energy even if I was exhausted.

As the sun started to disappear behind the horizon, I had to bring out my flashlight to see my paper. I squinted at the sketches and etched a circular shape. I jumped and started to twirl, but as I was about to land, someone swept my legs out from under me.

I gasped as the air was knocked out of my lungs. Opening and closing my mouth like a fish out of water, I eventually began to breathe again.

"What was that?" I snapped, looking around for my attacker.

"It's nine o' clock. You've been practicing for six hours," a voice said. "If you keep this up, you won't be ready for the tournament tomorrow." I shone my flashlight at the voice and found Kai's hard eyes glimmering like a cat's.

"I'm not tired yet," I lied. Kai snorted and grabbed my wrist, yanking me off the ground in a single move. I struggled to grab my things as he began pulling toward the building.

I tried to pull away, explaining that I still needed to work on a few of my moves, but Kai's grip was like iron.

"Why are you so strong?" I muttered, trying vainly to pry his fingers off my arm. Kai didn't glance in my direction.

"Because I don't waste my energy on worthless exercises for hours on end."

"How's what I'm doing any different than what you're doing?" I retorted, glaring at him. Kai met my gaze steadily.

"Exactly what I said before," he said, darkly. "I don't waste my energy on _worthless_ exercises for hours on end." My eyes widened with shock, but I quickly recovered. My face hardened and my mouth twisted into a frown.

"And you care…why?" I asked, stopping suddenly. "Why does it matter to you what I spend my time on?" Kai dropped my wrist and half-turned to face me. He crossed his arms and stood silently for a moment.

"You're part of the team I have to beyblade with tomorrow. I'm not letting you wear yourself out the night before a match," Kai said coldly. Without another word, he turned and continued walking back to the research building.

I watched his silhouette – which was outlined starkly by the light from the building – slowly get smaller in the distance. Then I placed my pencil back into my notebook's spine and followed him.

I woke up as the morning light steadily flooded the room around my bed. Hilary and Emily slept peacefully in the beds next to me.

Yawning, I stretched and climbed out of my warm covers. Then I started in remembrance. Today was the beginning of the finals.

I grabbed Nyclix and dressed quickly. Attaching my ripcord to my belt, a hard task with only one fully functional hand, I strolled out the door. Turning into the hallway, I found Tyson and Max already up. I quickly learned that Rei, Kai, and Hiro were already eating breakfast. Though I was eager to join them, I was more concerned about the finals.

"Calm down, Sandy," Max laughed. "They aren't for another few hours. Shall we go eat?" The three of us hungrily set off for breakfast and were not disappointed by what we found.

The All-Star team had a large cafeteria with multiple lines for different food. I recognized every food I could imagine. There was bacon and eggs with piles of pancakes on one side, and waffles, fruit, and yogurt on the other. All sorts of bright, fresh colors gleamed from every plate. As I stacked buttered waffles and fruit on my plate, my stomach lurched uneasily. I sat down at the table with the rest of my team and realized that I wasn't actually that hungry.

The food smelled good, but the thought of eating made me gag. My mind randomly returned to the finals, sending an anxious jolt down my spine each time. The watch on my wrist seemed to tick slowly, steadily, inevitably toward the upcoming event. Tyson didn't act like he had a problem with this information and continued to shovel food into his stomach. I picked at my breakfast, glancing over at Hiro. Hiro suddenly sighed softly and leaned away from the table.

"Whenever you start looking at me like that, Sandy, there's usually something on your mind. What's bothering you?" Hiro asked. I stopped halfway through nibbling a strawberry, which was starting to resemble jam between my tense fingers. My teammates next to me looked over curiously. I blushed.

"Nothing much," I said. "I'm just nervous for the match."

"It will be fine," said Hiro. "You won't be 'blading anyway. I've decided to pull you from today's match."


	20. Chapter 20

I chocked on my strawberry.

"What?" I spluttered, coughing. "Why?"

"If you feel like you have to practice six hours straight the night before a match, you probably aren't prepared to 'blade in the finals. Max will take your place." I felt numb with shock. _Not prepared?_ I thought bewildered. _Where did that come from? And why was Hiro suddenly concerned about my beyblading habits?_

I stared into each of the Bladebreakers until my eyes finally rested on Kai. My pulse quickened. He hadn't said something…right?

Kai never looked up, but continued to eat his piece of toast quietly. I sent him a dark look, but he merely stopped chewing to take a drink of milk. I contented myself with sending vibes of anger in his direction.

"Sorry, Sandy," Max murmured, interrupting my silent rage. My face morphed into surprise and I quickly smiled to reassure him.

"Don't worry about it, Max," I said. My voice almost showed my disappointment, but I tried to keep it cheerful. "I'll get it next time." Max still looked crestfallen, but he nodded with a new look of relief. My mask had worked.

"Hey, guys!" Hilary called. Behind her were Emily, Kenny, and a sleepy Daichi. "What are you up to?"

"Just talking about the finals," Tyson answered, managing to fit a whole egg in his mouth at once. The four new arrivals sat down at the table with their plates of food. Daichi's eyes lit up at the word.

"The other teams don't stand a chance," he exclaimed. "Just show me who I'm taking down." Hilary glared in annoyance at the short, red-haired boy.

"You're not even 'blading today. Remember the plan Hiro went over with us?" She said. The boy shrugged, not looking impressed.

"So," Daichi said. "I'll still take them down anyway." I wanted to say something to them, but words failed me when I tried. Instead I stuck my hand into the beyblade compartment on my belt. Nothing was there. Kenny noticed the gesture and pulled something small out of his pocket.

"I've increased Nyclix's spin so she'll be able to attack with more speed and power," Kenny said, handing Nyclix to me. "I've also given you a new tip that should make your moves even more unpredictable. But you should practice with it first, before trying it out in a match." I thanked him quietly and studied my beyblade's new design. She was still gold-and-green with sharp, curved blades creating her attack ring. However, new hints of red were present on the attack ring and her tip now had an unusual angle to it.

I was tempted to leave off eating breakfast to try out my new bey, but practicing was what had gotten me removed from the first match of the finals. I paused, before putting Nyclix back into her compartment.

An hour later both the All-Stars and the Bladebreakers boarded the bus. Not wanting to be lectured by Emily again, I choose a seat in the center of my team. A few minutes into the ride, however, I was silently staring out the window.

Buildings and green trees flew by while white clouds slowly moved in the other direction. It created an odd affect, as if the world was spinning and moving in different ways. The bus lurched as it hit a bump in the road and my focus became centered on the window's reflection. To my surprise, my own gray eyes were suddenly staring back at me.

" _I'm sorry, Sandy, but you can't 'blade in the match today."_ I froze, recognizing Lee's voice. My own voice joined in sounding disappointed and complaining.

" _But why not?" I asked. "I've worked so hard. I even ran four miles yesterday." Lee nodded, but his face never changed._

" _I'm sorry, Sandy," Lee repeated. "But we only put forward the Daredevil's best 'bladers in the match." I glared at him, crossing my arms angrily._

" _How is that fair? I'm never going to get better if you don't let me participate in any matches," I said. Lee met my gaze calmly and firmly._

" _Would it be fair to our opponents if we don't play our best?" I opened my mouth to reply, but couldn't find a good response. Lee continued, "A lot of beybladers are very serious about these tournaments, Sandy. They've come from miles around to 'blade against the top beybladers from around the world. If we don't put up our team's best against them, that would make their journey for nothing, right?" I looked down, not meeting his eyes._

" _Yeah, but…" Lee clapped a hand on my shoulder. I reluctantly looked up at him._

" _If you want to participate in matches, then work hard and practice. You'll get your turn. I promise."_

" _Okay, Lee."_

The memory faded away, leaving my gray eyes in its place. My anger at losing my place in the match had vanished. Then I noticed a pair of bright amber eyes next to mine, watching. I turned to find Rei sitting next to me.

"You zoned out again," he said. "Are you okay?" I nodded, staring at him reflectively.

"I'm not one of the best 'bladers on the Bladebreaker team, am I?" I asked. Rei frowned in confusion. He looked a bit unnerved, as if wondering where this was coming from.

"What are you talking about?"

"So I shouldn't take place in our matches until I've earned it," I said in conclusion. Rei's brow furrowed deeper and he didn't respond. I finally realized I was talking nonsense and laughed.

"Sorry, I was lost in thought," I said. "Just thinking about one of the rules my old team had." Rei nodded and an awkward silence filled the air.

"You know," Rei began, "Hiro wasn't trying to make you feel like you weren't good enough or anything. He just wanted to make sure you were ready to compete."

"I know that," I said, looking at Rei like he had said something obvious. "I was just explaining that I understood, right?" Rei ignored my outburst and continued.

"Hiro probably felt you were worried about it. And I don't think he likes you overexerting yourself on training exercises." Kenny turned around from the seat in front of us and nodded.

"He's right, Sandy. You aren't being punished for something you did wrong. We just don't want you to feel pressured. You'll probably get put in next time," Kenny said.

"Of course she will," Max broke in. He smiled kindly, "The truth is, you would have done well even if Hiro had put you in today." My face felt hot by now and I shook my head.

"No, that's not what I –" I started. Then I laughed. "I really should just stop, shouldn't I?" Rei smiled teasingly.

"Yep." I smiled back before returning to the window. Not long after, a large domed building loomed in front of us.


End file.
